


And The Many Ways I Love You

by rychuu



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Adding Jadochi to this because why not, Also might be some oumeno here and there, F/M, Ficlet Collection, Jaden and Kurochi are fan characters, M/M, Multi, Oumota, SaiOuMota - Freeform, and they are soft boyfriends, because I ship all of it, good boyfriends, oumasai, saimota, soon I'll also have
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-06-05 09:29:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 29,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15167720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rychuu/pseuds/rychuu
Summary: A collection of lots of shipping drabbles, whether it be from various writing challenges or I just up and felt like it.





	1. It's Just Us Two Left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokichi and Shuichi are the only students of their class remaining, and Shuichi is on the case. Kokichi isn’t too sure this is going to end well.
> 
> (A little different interpretation of “pregame” here, aha.)
> 
> (Oumasai)

It was dark, it was quiet, and it was wet.

Nothing about any of this seemed like a good idea.

Kokichi Ouma and Shuichi Saihara. Two students from Hopes Peak Academy, stood outside in the rain, staring into the dark abyss of the warehouse windows. They were the only two students of their class that remained unharmed.

Kokichi glanced over to Shuichi, frowning as a lock of his hair clung to his nose. His clothes weren’t soaked, but he had no protection from the rain, and they were absorbing the water that fell onto him rather quickly. Shuichi didn’t even notice him in return, and it only frustrated Kokichi more.  _“Ahem.”_

This caught Shuichi’s attention, and he spung right around to face Kokichi with widened eyes. “H-huh? What, what is it?”

“So, this is the place?” Kokichi leaned against a tree. “This abandoned warehouse in the middle of a forest is where you think the others are?”

Shuichi stared at Kokichi for a moment, hesitant as always, before he grabbed the rim of his hat and tugged it down over his eyes. He gave a weak nod.

“Right…” Kokichi glanced over the warehouse, frowning. It was definitely long abandoned, with the earth using vines to stretch up along the walls in an attempt to reclaim it. The windows hadn’t seen any kind of cleaner in years, and the door to the warehouse was missing all together. “Tooootally looks like a secret hangout for a kidnapper. You think that everyone’s… alive in there, right?”

This time, Shuichi nodded without hesitance. “There hasn’t been any evidence suggesting that the kidnapper has harmed them… Besides, the kidnapper has been consistently using chloroform on all of the victims, meaning–”

“They want them alive,” Kokichi finished not taking his eyes off of the warehouse. “But they’re not asking for ransoms either… There aren’t any good reasons to want to kidnap someone alive without getting some kind of reward for it.”

Shuichi gave a grim nod in return, and turned his attention back to the warehouse. Kokichi saw those yellow eye harden with determination.

“Sooo now we call the police, right?”

“… Yeah.” Shuichi turned to face Kokichi, and towards the dense forest behind them. “We should make sure we’re back at my uncle’s, first. Staying here any longer is dangerous.”

Kokichi nodded in agreement, resting his arms behind his head. “Yeah! We wouldn’t wanna get caught ourselves, or anything like that. That’s be the wooorst!”

“Don’t jynx it…”

“Oh, whoops! I made a death flag!” Kokichi grinned, seemingly rather unsympathetic. “We’re  _never_ gonna make it home in time! It’s  _impooosible!”_

Shuichi frowned at Kokichi’s antics, though he only shook his head and sighed in response. 

“Whaaat? I’m trying to ensure our survival, Shuichi!” Kokichi whined as they started walking through the woods, side by side. “We’re never gonna save our friends! It’s all hopeless!”

Shuichi grimaced. “Please don’t… say that. Even as a joke.”

Kokichi didn’t immediately respond, and silence poisoned the air around them. Rain was the only thing they could hear among their silence, pattering on the leaves and on their clothes. Soon, however, Kokichi’s arms dropped right back to his sides, and he hung his head. “… I’m not joking.”

This caught Shuichi’s attention, and he immediately turned to face Kokichi. “Huh?”

“We’re not gonna find them, are we?” Kokichi’s voice was flat, blunt and somber. “Not  _alive,_  at any rate…”

“K-Kokichi…” Shuichi quicly looked behind them, back at the warehouse, and then directed his attention back to Kokichi. “We… we’ve already found out where the kidnappers are hiding them…”

“What if they’re already dead?” Kokichi mumbled, seemingly choking on is own words. “Or worse, they’re–”

“Kokichi, hey–” Shuichi moved before he could think about his actions, and his hand went to Kokichi’s. He could feel the light tremors as he held his hand. “We… we’ve got this, okay? We just have to… make it back home, and let the police know. Then, this will all be over.”

Kokichi didn’t lift his head, nor did he respond for a few moments. The trembling Shuichi felt in his hand grew a little more violent. Swallowing down his own nervousness, Shuichi laced his fingers in between Kokichi’s.

“It’s going to be okay,” he insisted, though Shuichi wasn’t sure if he was trying to comfort Kokichi or himself anymore. “It has to be. It’s  _going_  to be.”

Kokichi continued to remain silent and unresponsive, until Shuichi finally felt the other squeeze his hand. 

“… I hope you’re right, Shuichi,” he muttered. “I hope you’re right.”


	2. What it Means to Be Love Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi is soft and pretty. Kokichi is very, very gay. Kokichi’s elder twin brother is just as much of a little shit as Kokichi is.
> 
> (Fic features tacobellebandit / aroseandapen‘s OC, Kurochi Ouma, the Ultimate Cryptographer. Warnings for slight NSFW mentions and vulgar language.)
> 
> (Oumasai)

Breakfast wasn’t ever interesting to Kokichi. It was nothing but a series of motions to give his body nourishment. Chew, and swallow, repeat. It wasn’t too uncommon for Kokichi to start daydreaming as he went through the motions of eating breakfast.

And immediately, his mind focused on Shuichi Saihara, a boy with beautiful, long lashes and shimmering eyes.

Shuichi had become his favorite daydream for any task he didn’t feel like focusing his mind on. They had started dating not too long ago, yet it all felt like it had been almost an eternity. Chewing and swallowing food became soft motions of his wrist, twirling the spoon in his cereal and milk as his mind continued to drift.

Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Detective. A bright mind with such a kind, gentle soul, with soft hair and skin so smooth that not even silk could compare. With soft lips that curled into the softest of smiles every time he felt them against his own.

Kokichi could feel his heart pound and his stomach flutter. He smiled, continuing to mix his cereal without really thinking about it, and leaned his head into his free hand with a content sigh. 

He closed his eyes. He imagined Shuichi to be there with him, giving him soft kisses to his cheeks, then his lips, then his jaw, neck, shoulders. He could almost feel Shuichi’s hands resting on his sides, slowly sliding up his shirt and across bare skin–

_“Kii-chi!”_

Kokichi yelped when his nickname was spoken, and he stared up at a face that mirrored his own. “Oh. Rochi. Morning.”

Kurochi huffed and crossed his arms. “You were doing that  _thing_  again.”

“Thing?” Kokichi tilted his head. “What thing?”

“The  _thing!”_  Kurochi cried out, pointing at him in an accusatory fashion. “That thing you do after you and Shuichi fucked! Did he fuck you  _again_  last night?”

Kokichi nearly choked on the air he breathed, and his face turned a bright red. He immediately tried to hide it, but it was too late.

“Ha! I knew it!” Almost like he was proud, Kurochi grinned and lowered his hand to his side. “Jeez, that’s gotta be the fifth night in a row. Really? Can’t Shuichi keep his hands off of you even for  _one_  night?”

“We–we didn’t  _do_  anything!” Kokichi protested. His mind was reeling from trying to make excuses or come backs, but he was far too flustered to do anything of the sort. He tried holding his breath, to calm himself down.

The heat still didn’t leave his face.

“Oh yeaaaah?” Kurochi’s grin grew wider. “Explain the noises last night, then!”

There was a brief moment Kokichi fell for his brother’s words, but soon enough, he was frowning. “Oh, shut  _up,”_  Kokichi said, flatly. His cheeks still burned hot as he turned away. “You think you can lie to a professional liar? Stick to your crosswords,  _nerd.”_

“Aww, that’s no fun, Kii-chi.” Kurochi sat down next to him, giving up his accusation rather quickly and pouting. “But your face is all red now! Nishishi!”

“Well,  _yeah,_  you were just… gah,” Kokichi shook his head before shoving his brother’s shoulder. “You’re so meaaan, Rochi, stop teaaasing meeee!”

“Nope, no can do!” Kurochi chirped before pointing at Kokichi’s now-soggy cereal. “Not when my baby brother is being  _so gay_  that he forgets to  _eat.”_

 _“Hey,_  you leave me and my gay ass alone.” Kokichi tried to keep a straight face, but he was already smiling. “You’re just  _jealous_  I have the most amazing boyfriend in the entire universe!”

“Ugh, ew,” Kurochi’s tone was playful and teasing, and it wasn’t like he was able to suppress a grin either. “Kii-chi, your gay is showing. Jeez, control your gay.”

Kokichi snickered and shook his head. “Never! For as long as Shuichi Saihara is my boyfriend, I’m honor bound to be two-hundred percent more gay than I am single! Gosh Rochi, get with the program.”

Kurochi could only reply with a laugh and push his brother’s bowl of cereal closer to him. “At least  _eat_  before you declare your love for him your requisite two-hundred times today.”

“Fine, fine.” Kokichi waved his brother off, and started to wolf down his cereal. He wasn’t too happy that it had gone soggy, but he didn’t care that much.

Kokichi slowed to a near halt, however, once he began to let his mind wander, and it immediately latched onto the subject of his affections.

The heat returned to his face, and he forced himself to take another bite of cereal. 

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get Shuichi off of his mind.


	3. What's the Truth, What's a Lie, and How Many Times Did You Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Liar is asleep, and Shuichi starts to think about things. He realizes that what he thought were lies might not have been so simple.
> 
> (Oumasai)

Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Surpreme Leader. A mischievous young adult who acts like he’s no older than twelve years old, who just so happened to be the leader of a small organization that performed tricks and minor but ultimately harmless vandalism. 

Shuichi had never really noticed how different Kokichi looked while he was asleep.

Kokichi had laid his head on Shuichi’s lap while Shuichi was in the middle of a good book, and before he had even noticed, he was lightly snoring and disturbing Shuichi from his session. Eventually the soft noise grated on his ears and he couldn’t concentrate, so he rested the book down by his side and rested a hand on Kokichi’s head. 

It was then he noticed little things, like the was Kokichi breathed in and out slowly and steadily, and the way his his eyes and brows loosened as he rested. It was strange, but Shuichi was sure he had never seen Kokichi like this before, despite how carefree and relaxed the other had always seemed.

Then again, maybe even his facial expressions were nothing but lies. 

Kokichi was well practiced in controlling every aspect of his body, down to being able to cry on command whenever he wanted to. Shuichi remembered all of those times Kokichi gave him and their classmates those crocodile tears, whether they be loud and noisy or when they were more quiet and subtle, barely collecting in his eyes enough to even be noticeable.

“… Ah.”

Suddenly, Shuichi started to wonder how many times those tears he saw were actually lies. When Kokichi cried over the deaths of the other classmates in the killing game, everyone had assumed that he was faking it. Those loud tears were especially obnoxious and over dramatic.

… But maybe that’s what Kokichi _wanted._

Shuichi knew that it was no secret that Kokichi was a compulsive liar who had the most difficult time trusting and relying on anyone. In the end, that distrust and suspicion for the others was what brought about Kokichi’s downfall. Yet it wasn’t like he and the others didn’t have any input as to how Kokichi spiraled into his own madness.

How many times had Kokichi cried, and they just dismissed those tears to be fake?

Shuichi hadn’t thought much about it, but he had started combing his fingers through Kokichi’s hair. Despite it being messy, it was soft. Kokichi seemed to enjoy it, for even in his sleep, he leaned into the touch.

Shuichi gave a soft smile at this, though there was a touch of sadness and guilt hidden there.  _How many times did you cry yourself to sleep at night, Kokichi?_

Kokichi didn’t move and inch. No response.

_How many times did you silently beg for someone to help you?_

Shuichi’s smile completely faded. No response.

_… How many times did you try to confide in me, only for me to turn you away?_

He could feel his lashes getting wet with tears. No response.

_How many times… did I hurt you?_

“Mmmph…”

Hearing Kokichi’s voice startled Shuichi, but he was careful not to jerk him too much. Kokichi had started leaning his head further into Shuichi’s hand, his brows slightly furrowed. 

Oh. Shuichi hadn’t noticed, but he had stopped running his fingers through Kokichi’s hair. Once he started doing so again, Kokichi’s brows relaxed and he stopped making any sounds or movements, aside from his deep breaths.

“Ehe. Sorry…”

There were a lot of things Shuichi found himself wanting to apologize for, and the urge to do so was strong. However, he had never seen Kokichi so relaxed and asleep, and the bags under his eyes told him that sleeping was not coming to the other easy.

Shuichi looked over his features again.  _So… this is the face you make when you’re at ease, isn’t it?_

There was no response. Shuichi started gently scritching Kokichi’s scalp, and found Kokichi pushing his head further into his hand with a soft moan and smile.

_I’ll be sure to remember it._

_I want you to make this face more often._


	4. Hope is The Best Birthday Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Kokichi’s first birthday after the Killing Game has ended. He’s not expecting anyone to show up. Features an OC of mine named Ranji Kumar who is one of the members of D.I.C.E.
> 
> (Oumasai)

Breathe. In, and out.

In, and out.

Kokichi wasn’t even sure what possessed him to even make an  _attempt_  to reach out to his former classmates after they had drifted apart from one another. Things hadn’t even gotten better for him–he mostly locked himself in his room, unable to do anything but sit and stare at the ceiling and sometimes wondering if it would ever start moving.

His family, D.I.C.E., insisted he try to reconnect with his friends and invite them to a small get together for his birthday.

Kokichi was absolutely sure that no one was going to even show up.

There he sat, on a couch that was old and worn but still comfortable and cozy, kicking his feet as he did everything he could to avoid looking up at the door. His eyes would drift anyway, despite his attempts. He had asked the others to come to his house at 3:00 PM sharp. It was already 3:10. Kokichi toyed with the cuffs of his sleeves, not used to wearing a dress shirt and pants with matching shoes. He felt a little ridiculous.

Anxiety bloomed in his chest and he was tempted to retreat back into his room. Kokichi hadn’t expected anything more that this, but he was still somewhat  _hoping_  that  _someone_  would–

The door bell rang.

The chime made Kokichi jump, straight from sitting on the couch and onto his feet, and he made his way towards the door.

He paused for a second, holding his breath. Kokichi took a moment to compose himself, forced out a smile, and opened the door.

He was met with a familiar pair of yellowish grey eyes.

“Ah, Kokichi,” Shuichi said, seemlingly a bit surprised. “Hello.”

“Shuichi!” Kokichi chirped, grinning. “Glad you could make it! You’re laaate!”

“Ah, I’m sorry for that…” Shuichi bowed his head, cheeks flushed up a light shade of pink. “But… it was a bit difficult to find your house…”

“Oh? Was it?” Kokichi moved out of the way for Shuichi to step inside, tilting his head all the while. “What makes you say that?”

As Shuichi came inside, he took off his shoes and jacket, hanging the latter on the coat rack beside the front door. “Well, the address was misspelled…”

“Wha–seriously?!” Kokichi closed the door, frowning and brows furrowed. “Aw man… no wonder why no one else is here yet…”

“It’s okay, I can text them all the right address now.” Shuichi, upon saying so, immediately pulled out his cell phone. “Kaede has a recital until five, however, so she won’t be here until around dinner time. Gonta, Miu, Keebo and Kaito are probably on their way here but lost…”

“Ah…” Kokichi swallowed a nervous laugh down. “So they’re… coming, then?”

“Yeah, at least, that’s what Kaito said.” Shuichi muttered quietly, more focused on texting than speaking. “He’s driving them. Gonta and Miu needed rides and Keebo was with Miu.”

This made Kokichi grin widely as he flopped down onto the couch. He even winked at Shuichi. “Getting ‘maintenance’ done, right?” 

Shuichi nearly dropped his phone from how startled the comment made him, his face darkening as he learned his throat. “They, um… Keebo and Miu, they… seem to be a couple, I think…”

Kokichi snickered at Shuichi’s embarrassment. “Ha! Go figure. Miu’s a robot fucker for real, now.”

“K-Kokichi…!” Shuichi reached up to his head to grab at his hat, and pulled it over his face. “D-don’t say things like that…!” 

“Okay, but it’s true!” Kokichi sang. “Miu’s a robot fucker! Miu’s a robooot fuuuckeeeeer!”

 _“Kokichi!”_  An elder man’s voice tore through the air, and a short, bald man with a strange accent poked his head from the kitchen. “Watch your language!”

 _“Haan pitaajee!”_  Kokichi replied, jumping off of the couch and peeking down the hallway.  _“ _Pitaajee,__  Shuichi’s here!”

 _“‘ _Pitaajee’_ …?”_ Shuichi echoed, eyes narrowed slightly. 

Kokichi turned to Shuichi and grinned. “It means ‘Dad.’ Ranji is my dad!”

Kokichi turned his attention back to the kitchen, and cried out; “Daaad! Did you hear me?  _Pitaajee, mere dost yahaan hai!”_

“Yes, yes, I heard you!” There was no annoyance or malice in the deep voice that came from the kitchen, only a slight warmth. Though Kokichi heard metal clanging against the ground and incoherent Hindi.

“Hey! Dad, you can’t yell at me for bad language when  _you’re_  cursing like a sailor in there!”

There was a pause, but then a rich laughter. “I’ll be there in a minute! I’m just finishing dinner!”

“So I’ll see you in like, two hours?” 

Shuichi had sat himself down on the couch by that point, curiously watching as Kokichi interacted with his father. Once the exchange was over and Kokichi was facing him, he asked; “Kokichi… are you adopted?”

“Hmm?” Kokichi tucked his arms behind his head, grinning. “What makes you ask?”

“You’re father…” Shuichi’s voice trailed off for a moment before he cleared his throat. “The way he spoke… it was sort of odd…”

“Hindi is his first language.” Kokichi clarified, sitting next to Shuichi. “He speaks Japanese and English well enough, but he’s not completely fluent… and yes, I’m adopted.” Kokichi huffed and waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t ask, it’s kind of a long story.”

Shuichi stared at Kokichi with widened eyes. “So… you speak…. Hindi?”

“Yup! Oh, I also speak Japanese, English, Spanish, some Chinese,  _very_  little Russian–”

Kokichi cut himself off when he saw Shuichi staring at him with narrowed, skeptical eyes.

“What? It’s true!” Kokichi whined, crossing his arms. “As an Ultimate Supreme Leader, I  _have_  to know how to speak in a bunch of languages! How else am I gonna talk to my subordinates all across the world?!”

Shuichi started chuckling, trying to contain his laughter by pressing a curled finger to his lips. “You mean, all  _ten_  of them?”

“Excuse me!” Kokichi huffed. “You mean ten  _thousand!_  Rude!”

The banter was all in good fun, both of them snickering and laughing. Though soon, a buzz distracted Shuichi from their conversation.

“Ah… It looks like Kaito and the others are going to be a while…” Shuichi frowned. “They are about twenty minutes away.”

“Wow, did dad write the addresses on the cards  _that_  badly?” Kokichi pouted. “Next time,  _I’m_  the one writing them…” Kokichi paused for a moment, before he glanced up at the ceiling. “So… Who else is coming?”

“Hm, well…” Shuichi glanced down at his phone. “I know Ryoma wanted to, but… he was unable to leave prison for the occasion. He might be able to call you later to wish you a happy birthday. Kirumi hasn’t really kept in touch, Angie moved back home after the killing game ended… Rantaro is traveling across the world, I think. Himiko and Tenko might make it, but they’re not sure.”

Shuichi hesistated for a moment, glancing away from his phone and Kokichi to look at the ground. “Maki is… well. I doubt you even invited her. I wouldn’t know, me and Kaito have sort of lost touch with her. Kiyo and Tsumugi are also in jail for their crimes, and I doubt they even know it’s your birthday today…”

Kokichi kept his face flat and neutral as Shuichi spoke. Then, he forced out a grin. “I see. Well, that’s a lot more people than I was expecting to come anyway!”

“R-really?” Shuichi blinked, turning to face Kokichi again. “Who were you expecting to show up…?”

A pause, then a laugh. “Ha! Nobody! All of you hated my guts before, so I wasn’t expecting any of you to show up or even  _want_  to come!”

Before Shuichi could remark on it, however, Kokichi worked up his signature crocodile tears. “But it’s a lie! I thought  _everyone_  would come, and now I’m sad that not everyone is coming! Waaah!”

“… Did you really think  _none_  of us were going to show up?”

Shuichi had seen right through his act, and Kokichi dropped the tears immediately. He remained silent.

Shuichi frowned, staring at Kokichi with eyes glimmering with concern. “Do… Do you really think we  _hate_  you?”

“Nope! I said it was a lie already, didn’t I?” Kokichi pressed a finger to his lips, smirking. “Why would I send out invitations if I didn’t think anyone was going to show up? Besides, it’s  _clear_  that you guys can’t get enough of me!”

Shuichi only started at Kokichi in silence, frowning. His eyes flickered over Kokichi’s features, as if he was searching for something, before he gave a soft sigh. “Well, in any case… I don’t hate you, Kokichi. I never did.”

Kokichi forced out a laugh. “I already knew that, you silly.”

Shuichi said nothing, but Kokichi could tell he wasn’t at all convinced.

They remained silent until the doorbell rang again, and more guests arrived for the small party. Awkward encounters lightened up once Kokichi’s father came from the kitchen and presented everyone with food to eat, to which everyone learned the hard way why some of Kokichi’s favorite foods were incredibly spicy.

Shuichi had started eating one of the lesser-spicy dishes prepared and yet finding it hard to swallow even that, despite the otherwise amazing favors. Kokichi was laughing and teasing Kaito for being a ‘spice wimp,’ Miu was being her ususal foul-mouthed self, even with K1-B0 at her side. Gonta was just happy to be a part of it all, and Ryoma called a little later to wish Kokichi a happy birthday. As Shuichi watched Kokichi, he noticed his shoulders loosen up and his smiles became more and more genuine. Soon the rest of D.I.C.E. showed up with gifts and a pinata for Kokichi to take a swing at.

As Kokichi mingled with the other guests, Shuichi found himself sitting on the couch next to Ranji, drinking a glass of water while Ranji had himself a glass of what Shuichi assumed to be wine.

There was an air of satisfaction around them, before Ranji finally muttered under his breath; “I haven’t seen Kokichi this happy in a long, long time.”

The words took Shuichi by surprise, and he turned to face the older man. “Huh?”

“Kokichi. Ever since he came home, he had locked himself in his room and ate very little,” Ranji said. He was smiling, but there was a hint of sadness to it. “He wouldn’t even drink his favorite soda for a while. He didn’t want to talk about anything to anyone. This is the first time I’ve seen him with his friends and smiling like this since he’s been home.”

Shuichi turned to face Kokichi, whom had started to pinch Kaito’s cheek in an attempt to rile him up–and sure enough, Kaito swallowed the bait, and began to chase him across the house.

“I am very happy that you and your friends have decided to come today.” Ranji smiled a bit wider. It looked a lot more genuine. “I think he very much needed this.”

Shuichi smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I think he did, too.”


	5. That's How Trauma Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s become a tradition that Kokichi worms his way into Shuichi’s room on the anniversary of their release, even after a few years. However, Kokichi isn’t sure this is a tradition they should have.
> 
> (Oumasai)

Five years. It had already been five years since the Killing Game ended.

July 12th. That day happened to be a Sunday. Shuichi had been dreading it’s arrival for weeks. It made sense, he told himself. After all, they were all in the killing game for weeks before finally escaping. One might assume that a day of freedom would be a happy thing to celebrate, but all the day brought was an immense amount of heartache Shuichi couldn’t ignore.

He heard a knock on his door. Well, it brought two things, actually.

Shuichi wasn’t at all surprised that Kokichi had picked the lock of the front door and entered his house without permission. He wasn’t surprised to hear him knocking on his door, quiet and soft in stark contrast to his normal demeanor. In fact, After five years, Shuichi had grown to expect these little traditions. They were the only things that got him out of bed that day.

He quietly made his way over to the bedroom door and opened it, looking down at Kokichi with tired eyes. Kokichi also had bags under his eyes, and his hair was messier than normal. He looked borderline disheveled and, had Shuichi not known better, would have assumed that he had gotten into some serious trouble.

Well, technically, they both  _were_  in trouble. That’s why he silently moved out of the way and allowed Kokichi to enter his bed room.

Kokichi was oddly quiet, but Shuichi didn’t expect him to speak. Instead, he simply grabbed a bottle of grape soda he had prepared in advanced and handed it to Kokichi, who took it and started quietly sipping at it. They were both sitting on the bed, Kokichi leaning against Shuichi and Shuichi against him. Before long, Kokichi snaked his hand around Shuichi’s arm and clung to it.

“… I brought some movies and a boxset of some cartoons if you wanna watch stuff,” Kokichi muttered, breaking the silence. “It’s all stuff we’ve never watched before, so…”

“Mmm…” Shuichi sighed and gave a shrug. “Sounds fine.”

Shuichi had expected Kokichi to immediately grab the distractions he prepared and get their little session started, but Kokichi didn’t move. He stared up at Shuichi, tired eyes searching his features. 

Then, Kokichi looked away.

“We can’t keep doing this.”

Shuichi’s heart skipped a beat at the words, surprised by both Kokichi’s words and his own reaction to them. “What do you mean?”

“We can’t keep  _doing_  this,” Kokichi growled. His grip on the plastic bottle of his soda tightened. “We just… sit here and watch movies and T.V. shows every year, and it doesn’t–it doesn’t get better. It doesn’t get easier. In fact, it just feels like it’s getting  _worse!”_

Shuichi could feel his chest tighten, pain swelling in his heart and threatening to make it burst. He understood what Kokichi was saying, but it still felt like a rejection of sorts. “I… I don’t think it’s getting  _worse…”_

“Well, this sure isn’t helping.” The way Kokichi seemed so upset, so angry, it made Shuichi feel at fault. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to do. I want to move on. I want to get the hell over it. Should–should we… should we  _talk_  about it?”

Kokichi grimaced at his own words, and Shuichi could feel him shaking. “We don’t have to talk about it…”

“Then–then how do we make it stop?” Kokichi wheezed and laughed, but the laughter was strained. “How come the others can move on but–but it feels like we’re just stuck here?”

Shuichi hesitated to respond, but when he did, he rested a hand on Kokichi’s. “I don’t think they’ve moved on either, to be honest.”

The idea bewildered Kokichi, and he turned to face him with furrowed brows.

“I mean… Maybe they’re just like us, trying to get through the day and forget what happened. Maybe they’re just… better at hiding it than others. Kaede always tends to be really busy today. Kaito too.” Shuichi started tracing his thumb over the back of Kokichi’s hand. “We’re all just trying to move on still, in the end. That’s kind of… how being traumatized works. You never stop trying to move on.”

Kokichi fell silent at this, frowning and hanging his head. Shuichi let the silence speak for him, and only continued to trace his thumb across Kokichi’s hand in an attempt to bring him comfort. “At least… We don’t have to be alone through it. Even if we all try to move on differently, we still have each other.”

Kokichi glanced up at Shuichi, lips pressed into a tight line, before he finally spoke. “… I want to talk about it.”

“Huh?”

Kokichi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Shuichi couldn’t ever recall Kokichi wearing such a serious expression. “I want to talk about what happened. I do. I really do.” His voice wavered, and that seriousness warped into fear. “I just. You know. I don’t…Talking about it, and…”

Shuichi moved, slowly and gently, until he had pulled Kokichi into a warm embrace. “I know. You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to talk about… but if you really want to, then I’m here for you.”

Shuichi swore he saw tears glittering in Kokichi’s eyes as he buried his face into Shuichi’s shoulder. “… Thank you, Shuichi.”


	6. Psyche! I'm a Detective!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being the Ultimate Detective is boring, or so says Kokichi. That’s why he’s gone and decided that he wasn’t going to be known as the Ultimate Detective–he was going to be the Ultimate Psychic. Except a very shy and quiet leader boy may or may not see through his charade. It doesn’t help that Kokichi doesn’t really know what Psychics are supposed to be able to do in the first place.
> 
> (My take on a Talent Swap. If you guys can guess the reference made in this drabble you get a cookie.)
> 
> (Oumasai)

“O spirits, speak to me, and enlighten us!” 

Despite his previous accomplishments in the previous cases, Kokichi’s “Ultimate Psychic” talent was still getting him odd looks and rolled eyes. Though despite his utter  _ridiculous_  claims, the surviving students couldn’t help but to wonder just how exactly Kokichi Ouma was solving these cases so swiftly and thoroughly.

Yet there was one pair of eyes on him, faded gold that glimmered with curiosity and interest. Not that Kokichi minded–he very much liked having the eyes of the “Ultimate Leader” on him.

“So… wh-what are those, um… ‘spirits’ saying, Kokichi?”

Kokichi’s only response was to quickly hush the other and press two fingers to his temple. 

Now, what kind of story was the crime scene about to tell him?

The victim was Angie Yonaga, the Ultimate Anthropologist. With her eccentric and bubbly personality, she was an interesting person, to say the least. She would always ramble about how her god, Atua, guided her to learn more about humanity’s past and would often dwell on subjects like human sacrifices in ancient cultures. It was quite fascinating, to watch as she played with the word of god at her disposal.

She had several stab wounds to the torso, and a huge head injury on the back of her head. A demonic circle was painted on the floor, presumably in her blood.

The crime scene was the Ultimate Anthropologist’s lab, where the murderer obtained most–if not all–the necessary equipment to make such a horrific scene. The stench was strong, and it made Kokichi feel sick. Thank god he was a master at keeping up his mask.

Then there was the Monokuma File. It was the most curious thing about the case so far, since it had stated the victim’s cause of death was the head wound to the back of her head.

Curious. Then why go through the trouble of making the murder so gruesomely like a sacrificial ritual had taken place? To throw them off?

Kokichi frowned as he took a few steps closer, holding back a gag as he crouched down onto the floor. He proceeded to slide his fingers through the demonic circle, eyes widening slightly at the texture of the blood. Except it wasn’t blood. It was watered down paint.

“Aha!” Kokichi jumped up, his cry startling the others in the room with him. “The spirits have spoken!”

“And?” Maki scowled, not too pleased by the sudden noise. “Just tell us what you found, don’t go and make it into a show again.”

“Hmph! Miss Akido master is so meaaaan!” Kokichi whined. “I’m not putting on a show at all! The spirits really have spoken!”

Maki rolled her eyes. “Sure. Just tell us what you found already.”

“Maki, please…” Shuichi muttered, quietly yet with a tone that seemed to shut Maki right up. “If it’s how he has to process it, then we can’t really judge him for it. After all, real or not, it’s Kokichi who’s been carrying us through these trials…”

“Aww, Shuichi is so niiice!” Kokichi chirped. “Since he is  _so_ nice, I guess I can tell you what the spirits have told me!” Kokichi then, without warning, spun around and started to make his way for the exit. “This way! The spirits are guiding me, guiding me to the real crime scene!”

“The… real crime scene?” Shuichi echoed, him and Maki immediately following suit. “You mean, you don’t think that Angie’s lab is where she died?”

“Nope! The spirits say that whole demon circle thing is a total sham,” Kokichi clarified. “The real crime scene is… Is…”

Kokichi pressed his fingers to his temple again, humming quietly before pointing in the direction of the Ultimate Artist’s lab. “There! There is the first step towards finding the real scene of the crime!”

“Kiyo’s lab?” Maki hummed quietly, though she was frowning. “What makes you think the murder–”

“Maki, it might be best not to question him,” Shuichi muttered. “We know what he’s going to say… he’s just going to say the spirits are guiding him again…”

“But that’s what I’m doiiing!” Kokichi whined, letting his arms fall from his head enough to cross his arms. “You guys are so mean!”

“… Anyway,” Shuichi started. “Whether or not we believe in his words… We have to trust his conclusions. That’s what counts, right?”

Maki stayed quiet for a moment. Then, she relented with a deep sigh. “I guess so. It’s still annoying that he won’t drop the ‘psychic’ act…”

“It’s not an act!” Kokichi insisted. “I’m telling the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! Honest!”

“Cut it out,” Maki growled. “I don’t know how you  _actually_  solve these cases, but we all know the psychic act is a lie.”

Shuichi fell silent, pressing his index finger to his lips, humming quietly to himself. “… You know, Kokichi? You’re a very observant person, aren’t you?”

“Hm?” Kokichi turned to Shuichi with a smile, and tucked his hands behind his head. “Whatcha mean, Shuichi?”

Shuichi swallowed a hard lump in his throat, blushing ever so slightly before waving a hand. “Ah, it’s nothing. We should… we should carry on with the investigation, right…?”

Kokichi tilted his head for a moment, opening his mouth but then closing it again. A smile made his way onto his face. 

“Right! Let’s go find out who killed Angie!”


	7. Confessions Go Great with Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time flies when love strikes. It’s a shame Shuichi seems to be about as dense as you can get when it comes to romance and Kokichi can’t tell the truth to save his life. Well, maybe he can. Just this once.
> 
> (Oumasai)

Kokichi had grown accustomed to spending time with Shuichi after they reconnected. Happy days, horrible days, laughing and tears and all sorts of wild emotions as they made their attempts to heal and move on from the killing game.

Now the Killing Game was a forbidden topic, only saved for those especially long nights of nightmares and panicked phone calls. Sometimes, they’d end up spending the night over at one another’s house just for the comfort.

Becoming so close to someone, it was no wonder Kokichi wanted more.

They both sat quietly, huddled together and watching movies while eating bowls of ice cream. Kokichi had barely even touched his bowl, however, as he was more lost in thought than invested in the movie Shuichi had picked out. It was interesting, sure, but it could hardly stand up to the plague of thoughts in his head.

He felt heat rise to his cheeks as he slightly tilted his head to try to hide his face from Shuichi. The ache of love burned hard in his chest, making him want to express it and yet hide all at once.

After all, who could love a liar like him?

Anxiety bubbled in his stomach and he suddenly lost what little appetite he had. Maybe he should just keep quiet. Kokichi didn’t want Shuichi to to think less of him or be weirded out by his affections. Yet continuing as they were hurt so much. What was he going to do?

Kokichi hung his head slightly. Maybe he could continue to ignore it. He had to, he couldn’t afford to–

“Kokichi?” Shuichi’s voice startled him, and he glanced up to find his eyes locking onto a concerned frown. “Are… you okay? You’ve been very quiet.”

“Hmm? I’m fine!” Kokichi’s voice was about as cheery as he could force it, and his smile was absolutely fake. “I’m just sooo interested in the movie that I lost my train of thought!”

“Um…” Shuichi glanced away. “… The movie’s been… paused for five minutes.”

“… Well, no duuuh!” Kokichi laughed, though his heart had definitely skipped a beat. “I saw you paused it, so I figured you were gonna say something or do something. I wasn’t about to disturb you!”

“… Right.” Shuichi sounded skeptical, even raising a brow as his frown deepened. “Are you sure you’re okay? You haven’t even made a dent in your ice cream…”

“Yup! Toootally fine!” Kokichi chirped, then immediately shoveling a big spoonful of ice cream that was getting a bit too soft. “Mmm! Yummy!”

“Kokichi…”

The tone Shuichi had made Kokichi drop is act, and soon he was frowning. “Okay, okay… I got caught up in thinking about stuff, that’s all. You don’t need to worry about it.”

Shuichi only stared at him, frowning.

“… Jeez, you keep making that face at meee!” Kokichi whined. “What? You don’t believe me? It’s true! I was just thinking about stuff and I got lost in my own head. It happens sometimes.”

“Kokichi… Please,” Shuichi ushered. “If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine, but… You know I can’t help but to worry.”

“Ugh, nothing’s wrong…” Kokichi grumbled. “I just… I…”

His voice trailed off, and he turned away from Shuichi. He could feel his cheeks burning.

“… I was thinking about someone I like.” Kokichi could feel tremors starting in his finger tips, and it made him clutch his bowl of melted ice cream tighter. “You know. Like…  _like_  like.”

“Oh?” Shuichi seemed to be genuinely caught off guard by his admission, and he leaned in closer. 

“Yeah. He’s–he’s someone I’ve liked for a while now.” Kokichi threw a quick glance over at Shuichi, trying to read his expression. Unfortunately, it was blank and unreadable–a trait Shuichi had picked up on from him, surely. “I’ve liked him a really… really long time. And, I guess…”

He swallowed a hard lump in his throat as his voice trailed off. When he tried to speak again, his voice immediately died in his throat. His cheeks started darkening more and more.

When Shuichi realized Kokichi wasn’t about to answer, his bows furrowed with concern. “Kokichi…?”

Silence. Kokichi tried to speak, but the only thing he managed to strangle out was a soft whine. He was definitely shaking.

After a minute of silence, Shuichi’s own face started to darken with a blush. “… Kokichi, do you–”

Before Shuichi could even finish his question however, Kokichi started wheezing, and abruptly laughing for seemingly no reason.

“K-Kokichi…!?”

Kokichi couldn’t say anything, caught in between wheezing and laughing so hard that he could barely breathe. His whole body was shaking, and he could already feel a fire burning in his chest, more fierce than before.

He was such an idiot. Who could love a liar like him?

So Kokichi laughed. He laughed, and wheezed, and every time he even made an attempt to speak it was only a strangled, gurgled mess of a sound. Tears stung in the corners of his eyes. 

“I’m–I’m sorry,” he managed to blubber out in between his laughter and tears. “I’m sorry, I–”

“Shh, Kokichi…” Shuichi wrapped an arm around Kokichi, rubbing his back in an attempt to comfort him. “It’s... It’s okay, shh…”

Despite the comfort, Kokichi continued to laugh and cry for a good minute or two, shaking and wheezing from the fear that bubbled in his chest. Shuichi was still unreadable, and now he had gone silent not confirming or denying if the feelings were mutual.


	8. Rehab Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dying in the Virtual Reality has some nasty consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! This is the start of Saioumota week challenges, so if you're not a fan of the trio, skip over this chapter an the following 6. If you do enjoy the ship, then enjoy!
> 
> (Saioumota)

Kokichi had been the last in every aspect of recovery.

He was the last to wake up. He was the last to accept physical and psychological therapy. He was the last to join their group sessions and the last to even speak up during those said sessions. He looked even more pale than anyone could have imagined, considering how pale he was in the Neo World Program. He had bags under his eyes, cheeks sunken in, and was nothing but skin and bone. However, that wasn’t the worst of it. At least, not to him.

Kokichi Ouma could no longer walk.

The method that he died had been one of the most extreme psychological traumas the facility had ever seen. His brain barely had enough functions to breathe and keep his heart beating at first, but slowly over time he became more and more alive with the help of machines and intensive care.

That didn’t mean, however, all of his basic motor functions returned to him so easily.

With how his other classmates were recovering, Kokichi couldn’t help but to feel left behind. He did his best with his physical therapy–even more than his best, he thought–but he couldn’t help but overhear his doctors whispering to one another.

_He may never walk again._

As Kokichi sat in his room, IV in his arm and the fabric of his hospital gown scratching at his skin, Kokichi stared up at the wall in front of him, at the turned-off television. Blank eyes, a thousand yard stare, a mind filled with despair. 

It wasn’t like he wasn’t  _trying._  Kokichi was trying, he was trying  _so hard._  Yet there was such little progress. It wasn’t even like he was actually paralyzed. He could feel his feet and wriggle his toes just fine. But his god forsaken brain wasn’t doing its job right. The doctors said to him that it was due to the spinal injury and method of death that was causing the problem, but Kokichi didn’t understand. He  _knew_  what happened was fake, he recounted it oh so many times in bed before he went to sleep. Why was he still having so much trouble?

Before Kokichi could think too much about his dilemma, the door to his room opened. Kaito and Shuichi stepped on through, about as cheerful as they could be walking in and seeing the mess that he had become.

Though their smiles were a little brighter today. 

“Hey, Kokichi!” Kaito beamed. “Sorry we’re late. The nurses downstairs were new and didn’t recognize us.”

Kokichi threw them a glance, but his eyes fell back on the television. “Mmm.”

Shuichi and Kaito had been discharged from the facility a week prior, but they still visited him nearly every single day. Before Kokichi had any proper brain functions, Kaito and Shuichi had gotten closer and became a couple. When they started spending more time with Kokichi, they had eventually realized they had feelings for him as well. They both told him at the same time just two days ago, and he hadn’t been able to respond.

He still hadn’t responded, but apparently, they were fine with that. 

“We brought you something,” Shuichi muttered, quiet and as shy as ever, resting a backpack on a nearby chair. “It took us a bit of fiddling, but we managed to sneak it by…”

This piqued Kokichi’s curiosity a bit, and he turned his attention back over to them, lifting his head a little bit off of the pillows. “Hmm…?”

“Close your eyes!” Kaito grinned. “It’s a surprise. Close ‘em!”

Kokichi raised a brow. “… Why?”

“Dude, just  _do_  it.”

Kokichi glared at Kaito and Shuichi, but with how they both waited patiently for him to do as the asked, he rolled his eyes and squeezed them closed.

“Okay, they’re closed…”

Kokichi could hear Kaito and Shuichi whispering to one another, and heard then shuffling about. He heard the sound of fabric, the crinkle of what he could guess was a plastic bottle, and another sound he couldn’t quite make out. It soon wouldn’t matter, for he found they had placed something extremely cold in his lap.

“Ack!” Kokichi nearly threw the offensive item, only just resisting. “Cold!”

He heard Kaito snickering. “Yeah, it’d be cold. You can open your eyes now!”

Immediately, Kokichi opened his eyes, and found himself staring at a plastic container, filled with what looked like vanilla ice cream, sitting on his lap with a metal spoon beside it.

“Happy birthday!” Kaito and Shuichi cheered in unison, though the booming voice of the former easily drowned out the latter. 

“Birthday?” Kokichi raised a brow. His frown only deepened, and he let his gaze fall back onto the ice cream. He instinctively took the spoon into his hand. “… Is it already my birthday?”

“Yeah. June 21st, right?” Shuichi pulled a chair over to Kokichi’s bedside, smiling warmly at him. “That’s today. Sorry if the ice cream melted a little, we really weren’t expecting the receptionist to give us a hard time…”

“It should still be awesome anyway!” Kaito slammed his fists together. “I made it myself! Home made ice cream!”

“Home made…?” Kokichi echoed. “You made this yourself?”

“Hell yeah! You’re gonna love it, too! There’s a surprise element to it that you’re gonna  _love!”_

Shuichi laughed at Kaito’s antics, before he offered Kokichi a small bottle of grape Panta. “We also brought you this, and we have a gift for you to open in a little while.”

“But first, you gotta try the ice cream! You’re gonna love it!”

Kokichi glanced over the two of them, both smiling so bright and warmly at him. They seemed so happy, being there with him of all people. 

He averted his gaze. “… You don’t have to do this kind of stuff, you know.”

This caught them both off-guard, though Kaito was the first one to speak. “Huh? Don’t have to do what?”

 _“This,”_ Kokichi gritted his teeth. “Come here every day and  _pity_  me.”

“Pity you?” Shuichi frowned. “We’re not–”

“Don’t  _lie_  to me,” Kokichi snarled. “You really think that I’d believe for a  _second_  that either of you actually give two shits about me?” Kokichi clenched his jaw so tight that the stress started to hurt. “I can’t walk. I’ll  _never_  be able to walk, and I’m never gonna get to leave this stupid facility either. You two come here  _ever single day_  and you remind yourselves of what this stupid place means, about everything that happened, about every single second of pain we all went through–”

“Whoa, Kokichi–” Kaito tried to interrupt him, tried to get a hand on his shoulder, but Kokichi violently pulled away.

“Don’t  _touch_  me!” He snapped. “And don’t lie to me that you’re totally fine coming here every day and reliving everything you’ve been through! You wouldn’t willingly come here to see me if you didn’t want to punish yourselves over some stupid, self-righteous sense of guilt!”

Kokichi’s words seemed to stir something in Kaito, and he immediately opened his mouth to protest. Shuichi threw him a glance and quickly shook his head, however, and it shut Kaito up before he could even start.

“But I don’t want your pity! I won’t want you feeling sorry for me or feeling guilty that I’m the only one still stuck in this facility! So take you’re stupid ice cream and go home, and stop  _coming_  here!”

Finally, the rant was over, and Kokichi started panting and wheezing. His hands were balled up into fists, and soon, he squeezed his eyes back shut. He very much expected to feel the coldness of the ice cream leave his lap and for them to silently leave without another word.

But they didn’t.

Shuichi and Kaito both remained quiet for a while, making sure that Kokichi had gotten everything out, before Shucihi whispered; “Kokichi… did… something happen?”

Kokichi winced, bowing his head and letting the shadow from his bangs hide his eyes. “No. I’m just tired of seeing your stupid faces.”

“You’re lying, dude.” Kokichi heard Kaito scoff out. He heard a chair being dragged across the floor before Kaito sat in it, on the opposite side of the bed as Shuichi. “You’re doing that…  _thing_  again, so cut the crap. What happened?”

Kokichi fell silent at their persistence, and he didn’t answer immediately. Soon, he finally opened his mouth, and choked out; “I heard the doctors talking this morning. About how I’m never gonna walk again. About how I’m never gonna get to leave this facility.” 

“What the fuck?” Kaito raised a brow. “Who the hell said  _that?”_

“What we heard was a  _very_  different story from your doctor and nurses,” Shuichi muttered. “They said for what happened to you… that you were making incredible progress.”

“Then they  _lied_  to you.” Kokichi snarled. He could feel tears stinging in the corners of his eyes. “It’s been weeks and I  _still_  can’t walk on my own.”

“Dude, no one said there’s a rush,” Kaito huffed. “It’s gonna take a while. Probably a really long while, but it’s not like you don’t have any chance whatsoever.”

“Says you,” Kokichi hissed. “You  _both_  were out in no time, already healed and checked out of this stupid place before I could even stand. I’m going to be here for the rest of my god damn miserable life.”

Shuichi and Kaito both fell silent, with Shuichi glancing over to Kaito with a deep frown. When Kaito caught his gaze with his own, he finally sighed. “That’s not entirely true, you know.”

This was enough to catch Kokichi’s attention, and make him glare at Kaito. Before he could spit out any more venom, however, Kaito continued; “Just because we can function enough for the facility to kick us out doesn’t mean we’re…  _healed.”_ Kaito tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair, keeping his eyes averted from Kokichi’s glare. “I ain’t anywhere  _near_  what I was before the Killing Game. I used to be able to run for miles, but now every time I run for even a minute I start coughing my lungs out.”

Kaito closed his eyes, leaning into the back of his chair and rubbing the back of his head. “I guess that’s not exactly the same, or anywhere close to it, but… Just cause we’re out doesn’t mean we are totally healed up, or anything.”

“Besides that,” Shuichi added, settling his gaze back on Kokichi. “We still have to come here anyway, for therapy and group therapy.”

“Yeah, and we’re gonna  _be_  coming here for that for years.” Kaito finally opened his eyes, but he couldn’t bring himself to look Kokcihi in the eye. “Healing’s a process, and it’s not gonna be easy. You’re definitely fighting an uphill battle, but you’re gonna get through this.”

Kaito paused for a moment, finally letting his eyes catch Kokichi’s. “And you know what? Even on the off chance you can’t walk again, that ain’t gonna change how we feel about you. I don’t think that you’re  _not_  ever gonna get better though, but still. Even on the off chance everything goes wrong, we’re still here for you.”

The tension in Kokichi’s shoulders left him, and he let his whole body relax. In the middle of Kaito’s little speech, Kokichi had hung his head, trying to avoid showing just how affected he had been from the comfort.

“It’s going to be okay,” Shuichi muttered, smile returning and resting a hand on Kokichi’s. The sudden contact made his fingers twitch, but Kokichi secretly craved the warmth. “And, Kaito’s right. Even if it’s not going to be okay… we’re still here for you, okay?”

Kokichi let Shuichi’s words hang in the air, but the warmth he felt from both of their words crept up into his chest. Finally, the feeling was too unbearable, and Kokichi pulled his hand away to throw both of his arms up in the air. _“Gross!_ Gross sappy crap! Ugh, you guys are gonna  _kiiiill_  me!”

“There he is,” Kaito grinned. “That’s the brat I know and love.”

“Ew, stop, you’re going to make me gag! Ultimate Supreme Leaders don’t feel feelings, we melt at the sight of gross warm gushy crap!”

This made Shuichi roll his eyes with a smile. “Right…”

“I’m gonna need to eat all of this ice cream in order to kill the gross warm feelings,” Kokichi chirped, picking up the spoon and immediately digging into the ice cream in his lap. “I bet it tastes like shit ‘cause Kaito made it!”

“Hey! It does  _not!”_  Kaito snarled. “And you can’t even taste it anyway!”

“Yeah, you’re right. I should be grateful that I can’t taste Kaito’s awful cooking!”

“Why  _you!”_

The bantering made Shuichi snicker and shake his head. “What am I going to do with you two…”

“Well, you could feed me more ice cream! Especially since Kaito’s suuuucks…” 

“You haven’t even  _tasted_  the ice cream I made you yet!”


	9. It's Just a Cough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaito gets a cold, and he is very much not okay.
> 
> (Saimoumota)

That very morning, Kaito woke with a slight irritation in his throat. At first, he thought nothing of it, and simply drank a bigger glass of water than he normally would have before his morning routine.

The water made the irritation subside for a little while, but it quickly came back with the full force it had to begin with, and it brought along a weakness in his limbs.

He was able to push through most of it before finally, he started coughing up gunk that had a disgustingly familiar metallic taste to it.

When Kaito could no longer resist coughing and coughed up more of his sickness into the sink, he felt panic rising in his chest.

He was getting sick again.

The lingering metallic taste in his mouth made him squeeze his eyes shut, reaching his hand over to turn on the water of the kitchen sink he dashed to before he made a mess of the kitchen counters. He didn’t want to see it, he didn’t want to see the red that he was so  _sure_  would be there if he opened his eyes to look.

Kaito let the water run for a minute before forcing himself to open an eye, just a crack. He only saw water flushing down the drain, and he sighed before he turned the tap off. 

The sight of no blood didn’t ease him any, and he still felt his chest tighten. The anxiety made him want to cough more, lungs irritated and ready to expel all of their unwanted waste.

Kaito tried to breathe in through his nose, but it was too clogged, and breathing through his mouth stung at the back of his throat.

As he tightened his fists, he hear footsteps coming from behind him.

“Kaito?” Shuichi spoke first, his voice laced with concern. “Are you okay…?”

“We heard coughing,” Kokichi was next to speak, blunt as ever. “Are you sick? Aw man, I wanted to play today!”

The notion that he was sick made Kaito tense. No, no. He couldn’t be sick. He couldn’t be sick again, not like in the Killing Game, he couldn’t be–

“I’m fine,” Kaito forced out, laughing as he spun around to face his two boyfriends with a hand on his hip and the other rubbing the back of his head. “It’s just–I guess, it’s allergies, or something.”

It was a pathetic lie, and he knew it was. Just a quick glance over Shuichi and Kokichi told him that they weren’t buying it for a second.

“Allergies…?” Shuichi questioned. “Are you sure–”

“Welp! Allergies, huh?” Kokichi interrupted, folding his arms to tuck his hands behind his head. “Then it’s not that big of a deal, is it? Just gotta get you some cough medicine and soup and you should feel better in no time.”

“H-huh?”

Shuichi seemed to be caught off-guard by Kokichi’s compliance with the lie, but Kokichi’s expression gave nothing away. Calm, collected, and always with a smile.

“Well, yeah. And maybe we can watch movies all day too! Ohh, there’s this new cartoon everyone’s been raving about, and now’s the perfect time to drag my super cute boyfriends onto the couch to watch it with me!”

“… Cartoons? Really?” Kaito let the hand that was rubbing the back of his head fall to his side, and frowned. “What are you, eight?”

“I’m five, actually!” Kokichi chirped, grinning widely. “But that’s a lie! I’m only five at heart, my body’s like, eighty-eight, so I’m actually twenty if you split the difference.” Not that his math made  _any_  sense, but at that point, Kaito and Shuichi both knew better than to question it. “Anyway, cartoons aren’t for  _only_  kids, you know! Adults can enjoy them too, and this one’s got really good reviews!”

Kaito gave Kokichi a blank state. “I’m  _not_  spending the day watching cartoons.”

“Oh yes you are!” Kokichi sang, grinning even wider. “You’ve got a cold, so you’re gonna rest up and drink tea and eat soup and get better!”

“I am  _not_  sick,” Kaito said a little too quickly. “It’s just allergies.”

“Ooooh, right right. Well, we don’t have medicine for allergies, so cold medicine will have to do. Shuichi! You should make us soup and tea while I get the couch all set up!”

“Huh…? Oh.” Shuichi gave a curt nod. “Right, sure.”

“And Kaito has to find the coziest blanket we own! This marathon is gonna be so good, you’re not gonna wanna get up from where you sit, so we gotta make sure it’s extra cozy!”

“Dude, you  _better_  not grab all of the pillows from all over the house and make another fort,” Kaito grumbled. “I swear to god–”

“Waaah! Kaito can see through my trick, even when he’s got a cooold!” Kokichi cried out, waterworks and all. “He’s soooo smart, too smart for me to outsmart! Now we’ll never have the super coziest pillow fort and watch cartoons together!”

“Hey! I’m–you…” Kaito felt a blush creeping up on his cheeks, and he sniffled before rubbing his nose with his sleeve. “I’m  _not_  sick.”

“Riiiight. Kaito’s just got allergies. Though wouldn’t a cold be just the same, anyway?” Kokichi tilted his head questioningly. “It’s not  _that_  big of a deal if Kaito’s got a cold, right?”

Kaito fell silent for a moment, before he coughed into his wrist. “I… I guess not.”

“Either way, like I said, we only have cold medicine, so you better go take some right now!” Kokichi commanded, though his voice held no concern whatsoever. “That way you’ll be all better tomorrow and we can play some more!”

“Ugh, fine…”

Kaito relented to Kokichi’s badgering, and made his way into the bathroom to fish out the cough medicine from the cabinet and measured out a single dose. He stared at the syrup for a moment, mouth pressed into a thin line.

_It’s just a cold._

With the pride of the Luminary of the Stars, he forced himself to down the whole serving and proceeded to make his way back into the living room. In just a few minutes Kokichi had managed to collect every pillow in the house and made a fort in front of the television.

“Kokichi! What did I say about the pillows?!”

“Waaaaah! Kaito’s mad at meeee!” 

The bantering eventually died down when Kaito and Kokichi were presented with tea and soup for lunch, and Shuichi joined them in Kokichi’s makeshift pillow fort with his own bowl and cup. They ate their food and drank their tea, watching the cartoon Kokichi had been so excited over.

They spent the whole day cuddled up and watching the television before eventually, Kaito had been the first to start dozing off. Drained from his illness, he was the first one to fall asleep.

Kaito had woken up a few hours later with a start, breathing harshly and clinging onto the now sleeping forms cuddled up on either side of him. It took him a little while to get his barrings, realizing quickly that he had fallen asleep in the mess Kokichi had made with the pillows.

Once his breath had steadied, Kaito noticed that the itching in the back of his throat was mostly absent, and the tightness in his chest lessened. After looking over Shuichi and Kokichi in his arms, Kaito had to suppress a laugh as he kissed both of their sleeping heads.

He felt better already.


	10. Kaito Needs Some Sappy Nicknames Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After seeing how many nicknames Kokichi has for Shuichi, Kaito gets a little bit envious that he doesn’t have any for himself. Kokichi proceeds to fix this issue.
> 
> (Saioumota)

_‘Shuii!’  
_

_‘Shumai!’  
_

_‘Shu!’  
_

_‘Shuchii!’  
_

_‘Ichichi!’_

How any nicknames could one person even  _have?_

Shuichi was blessed with, apparently, at least a dozen nicknames courtesy of Kokichi, who seemed to have absolutely no problem coming up with a new nickname for their boyfriend every day and earning affectionate kisses from his antics. The kisses were fine–that wasn’t what Kaito was uncomfortable with–if you could really call it discomfort and not  _envy,_ at the very least.

Kokichi hadn’t made a single unique nickname for Kaito yet.

They had been dating for who knows how long, and yet Kokichi hadn’t even bothered coming up with something creative to call Kaito. On occasion, he might get a “dear” or “babe” from the little gremlin, but Kaito felt entirely restless. 

As ‘unmanly’ as it was, he really,  _really_  wanted a nickname or two for himself.

Bringing  _up_  this fact, however, was a different matter entirely. Kaito was  _not_  in the mood for Kokichi’s typical teasing and antics, nor was his pride able to handle any sort of belittlement for the vulnerability he was trying to force out. While he loved Kokichi to death, he knew that he had a difficult time determining when his teasing was appropriate verses when it wasn’t.

So when Kaito found Kokichi sitting on the couch playing a video game, Kaito steeled himself and plopped himself onto the free cushion next to him.

The force had slightly bounced Kokichi up, making him yelp a little and misclick a button on his gaming controller, and Kaito snickered as his character fell into a lake below the cliff he had been perched on.

“Kaitoooo!” Kokichi whined. “Do you know how long it too me to get up there?! Ugh! You and your fat ass, jeez.”

Kaito was absolutely unapologetic, snickering at Kokichi’s apparent misfortune. “Yeah, yeah. I’m the worst.”

“You aaaare! Ugh…”

“Well, if it’s gonna take you a while to climb back up anyway…” Kaito started, and apparently the tone in his voice had shifted just enough for Kokichi to glance at him for it. Kaito swallowed down a nervousness that was balled up in his throat, and continued; “I kinda… wanna ask you something.”

“Hmmm?” Kokichi tilted his head, but then immediately turned his attention back to his video game. “Well, this better be good, or else I’mma put yellow hair dye in all of your hair gel.”

“Do  _not_  put dye in my hair gel!” 

Hearing Kaito bristle and react made Kokichi grin. “Then out with it, or I’m gonna exact my revenge!”

“Guh, always messing around…”

Kaito found himself restless, however, at the idea of finally spitting it out. Kokichi was patient enough, at the very least understanding that whatever he was about to hear was somewhat of an important issue. Or at least, that’s what Kaito would guess–not that it actually  _was_  an important issue, or anything.

“It’s just… well…” In fact, now that he was about to ask, he felt rather silly and weak. Vulnerable. His voice quieted as he finally spat it out; “Why don’t you give me nicknames like you do Shuichi?”

Kokichi, whom had started making his character climb back up the mountain, seemed to be taken aback by the question. The character slipped and fell all the way back down into the water. “Wait, what?”

“Nicknames. You know, like. Shumai, and Shuii, and shit like that.” Oh, it was getting awkward. Kaito could barely stand it. “I was just wondering why you don’t… ah, never mind it. It’s nothing.”

Kokichi raised a brow, staring at Kaito with about as much disbelief as he could muster. The tension made Kaito hold his breath, but soon, Kokichi shrugged. “Welp, okay. If you say so.”

Kokichi turned his attention back to the video game, and they sat there in silence, the air awkward around them.

It wasn’t long before Shuichi was home from work and shopping, greeted warmly by his two boyfriends as he put the food he bought away. And before long, Shuichi was in the living room.

“What are you two up to?” Shuichi mused. “I was half expecting you two to be up to your typical nonsense.”

Without missing a beat, Kokichi spoke with a flat tone; “Oh, that’s ‘cause I’m too busy trying to think of super adorable, cute nicknames for Kaito.”

Kaito nearly choked on the air he breathed, caught by surprise from Kokichi’s blatant call out, but the words he wanted to say died immediately in his throat.

Shuichi, on the other hand, only grew curious. “Oh…?”

“Yeah, he’s jealous I give you so many nicknames, so he wants me to make up some for him too.”

This emboldened Kaito to protest; “I–I didn’t say that!”

Kokichi rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but you were  _toootally_  obvious about it. Hey, Shuichi! We should both make up nicknames for Kaito!” He then paused the game, beaming a big smile up at Shuichi. “I already thought of a few! Like Momo, Ai, Aito, Momo-Ai…”

“A- _Aito?!”_  Kaito stuttered, cheeks burning with a blush.

“Ooooh, I think he likes that one!” Kokichi giggled. “Aito’s a good one, it suits him well, right?”

 _Aito._  In Japanese, the term “Aito” is derived from the word “Ai,” which meant  _love._  “Aito,” in turn, meant  _“Cherished one.”_

The idea of either one of his boyfriends calling him  _Aito_  made Kaito’s blush darken.

“I think Aito is a good one too,” Shuichi held a hand close to his mouth, smiling, as if he was preparing to hide any giggling or snickering that may arise from the topic. “I also think ‘Momo-Ai’ is sweet, too.”

“Yeaaah! I think it can translate to ‘One-hundred love.’ Like, we have one-hundred loves to give our dearest Kaito!”

“Guh…” Kaito could feel his cheeks burning hotter and hotter as the two continued, and he couldn’t resist bringing a hand to his face, in an attempt to hide it.

“Awww, Kaito’s being shy!” Kokichi grinned. “Oh, no wait,  _Aito_  is being shy. Our cute, precious  _Momo-Ai_  is all embarrassed!”

As Shuichi sat on the other side of Kaito, Kokichi dropped the controller onto the floor and cuddled up next to Kaito’s chest. Kaito grumbled some incoherent protests before wrapping his arms around Kokichi and Shuichi.

“Are they too much?” Shuichi asked. The question was innocent enough, but it made Kaito even more restless.

“Whaaat? No way!” Kokichi pouted. “My nicknames are the cutest nicknames ever! He’s gotta love them!”

“They’re  _fine,”_  Kaito managed to force past his lips, grumbling. “Jeez…”

He had to admit, however, Kokichi was right. The nicknames were  _absolutely_  adorable… and while he might not admit it out loud anytime soon, he really  _did_ love them.


	11. What Makes a Liar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokichi Ouma has been skittish and acting strange ever since he awoke from the killing game, but things get worrying when Kaito and Shuichi notice an alarming amount of bruises on his body.
> 
> (Abuse implications TW. Features a fan character/father of Kokichi named Kenshin Oshiro.)
> 
> (Saioumota)

It started when Shuichi and Kaito both noticed that Kokichi was always the last one out of the changing room for gym.

Adapting to life outside of the killing game was challenging, but it seemed to hit everyone differently. For Kokichi, he seemed to retreat inward, easily more frightened and borderline shy in comparison to what Kaito and Shuichi knew in the killing games.

They thought it was just him having difficulty adapting to living a normal high school life.

That all changed, however, when Kaito and Shuichi snuck back into the boys changing room and saw Kokichi’s back covered in bruises.

Kaito immediately wanted to jump out from hiding, and confront Kokichi about the wounds, but Shuichi urged him against it. If one thing was certain about Kokichi, it was how he dug his heels at every given point when secrets came into question. Naturally, Kokichi wouldn’t dare talk about it unless he felt comfortable with it–and a gym locker room was about as least comfortable as you could get for such a conversation.

The school day passed, and Kaito and Shuichi made a beeline for each other before they hunted for Kokichi. 

They found him outside, a heavy book bag on his back and several textbooks in his arms. He looked down the road, as if he was waiting for someone.

Turning to each other and nodding, Shuichi and Kaito quickly made their way over to Kokichi.

“Hey, Kokichi!” Kaito called out, not missing the way Kokichi flinched before he turned to him.

“We’ve been looking for you,” Shuichi forced out a warm smile, but he hadn’t missed it either. “Are you on your way home?”

Kokichi paused, glancing over the two of them for a moment, before turning his attention back to the road. “I’m waiting for my father. He’s coming to pick me up.”

Kaito frowned. “Your dad? I didn’t know you had a dad.”

Koichi winced again, and shot a glare at Kaito. “Well, I had to be made  _somehow._  He’s my  _father,_  so.”

The way Kokichi put emphasis on the term “father” sent a soft chill up Shuichi’s spine. It was forced, bitter and venomous, but in a way that sounded like Kokichi was trying to tone it back, trying to tame his own words.

“I think, what Kaito meant was… you never mentioned your, um,  _father.”_  

“Nothing much to mention,” Kokichi spat. “He’s just some CEO of some company that makes and sells all kinds of stuff. Nothing much else to talk about, really.”

Shuichi was about to ask more questions, however, was interrupted by the sound of a car honk. The sound was loud and started both him and Kaito, immediately turning to look and see at the offending vehicle pull up beside them.

When they both glanced over to Kokichi, they saw an uneasy smile.

The man that stepped out of the car was tall, his hair slicked back and his facial hair trimmed in a balbo style. His hair was a dark plum color with the signs of old age turning a few strands grey. He wore a black vest over a white dress shirt, black dress pants, and shoes to match.

When Shuichi caught his eyes, he saw that they were a dark shade of brown, and despite the color itself being warm, he felt an icy chill hit his spine.

“Why, hello there,” the man started. “Kokichi, are these your friends? The ones you have been telling me about?”

Kokichi’s nod was curt and stiff.

“Kaito Momota and Shuichi Saihara, correct?” The man smiled as he extended out his hand. “My name is Kenshin Oshiro. I am Kokichi’s father. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Kaito was the first one to react, hesitantly taking the man’s hand into his own and giving it a quick shake. “Yeah… Nice to meet you, too… but uh, I thought Kokichi’s last name was ‘Ouma.’ Not–”

“Ah, yes. Kokichi prefers his mother’s maiden name over mine, bless her resting soul.” As Shuichi stared at Kenshin’s smile, he realized that the warmth wasn’t reaching the man’s eyes. “I do not mind his preference. His legal name  _is_  Kokichi Oshiro, technically, but he’s more than welcome to use his mother’s maiden name.”

Kokichi shifted his weight and cleared his throat, keeping his head bowed and his line of sight away from Kenshin’s.

“Well, I hate to cut a conversation short,” Kenshin started, putting a hand on Kokichi’s shoulder. “But I have to get my boy home. We have a very important dinner party to attend tonight, so he needs to get ready before we set out.”

Shuichi turned his attention to Kokichi, who’s eyes were wide and his smile was strained. Before Shuichi could ask, however, Kokichi forced out a brighter smile.

“Yeah! It’s a meeting with some of my father’s coworkers and investors. I’m gonna be his successor, so they want to meet me and see if I’m worthy of inheriting the business.”

“That’s right,” Kenshin laughed, a hollow and empty sound as he patted Kokichi’s head. Kokichi would flinch ever so slightly every time the hand made contact to his head. “But I’m sure as long as Kokichi is on his  _best_  behavior, everything will be fine. Now, now, get in the car, Kokichi. We have very little time before the get together starts.”

Kaito and Shuichi never saw Kokichi move so fast to obey an order, hopping in the car’s back seat and quickly putting on the seat belt. Kenshin made his way over to the drivers side of the car.

“W-wait!” Kaito exclaimed, startling Shuichi in the process.

 Kenshin turned to face them, his smile lessening. “Hm?”

“Well, I know Kokichi’s got a big thing going on later today, but… is it okay if he hangs out with us tomorrow?”

With how unsure Kaito sounded, Shuichi immediately figured out his true motive. It wasn’t just him picking up on the red flags, and if what they assumed was true… “Yeah. We wanted to do a little study group today, but if he’s busy, can he come over my house tomorrow instead?”

Kenshin hummed, as if pondering, before he turned to Kokichi in the car. “Kokichi? Do you want to spend some time with your friends tomorrow?”

Kokichi’s eyes were wide, and his mouth was pressed into a tight line. After a few moments of contemplation, he gave a weak nod.

“Well, then that’s fine.” Kenshin smile grew in size, but never in sincerity. “As long as everything goes well tonight and you promise to be home before dinner time tomorrow, then I do not see an issue with that. Especially if it’s for studying as well. Kokichi is so very bright, isn’t he?” Kenshin gave a hearty laugh. “I admire how studious he is. His grades have skyrocketed to an all new high. What an amazing boy, isn’t he?”

Shuichi and Kaito hesitantly nodded in agreement, both visibly uncomfortable and unsure. Kenshin found his way back into his car, buckling his seat belt before driving away. Shuichi and Kaito didn’t even have enough time to process anything else, but they knew one thing.

Kokichi wasn’t going to keep his secrets for long. They were going to figure  _everything_  out tomorrow night.

 

 


	12. Kokichi Makes for a Terrifying Killer… In a Video Game.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokichi convinces Shuichi and Kaito to join him in an online game of Dead by Daylight. Kokichi is a master at being the hunter.
> 
> (Saioumota)

“Oh come here, little boy!”

Kokichi’s sickeningly sweet, sing-song voice echoed through the dark room. Why had they agreed to this? Why had they agreed to set up their game systems in the same nearly-pitch black room, playing a horror game with Kokichi as the hunter?

Maybe it had been Kaito’s pride, succumbed to the endless teasing Kokichi gave. Maybe it was Shuichi’s curiosity about the game in question. Maybe they were somehow brainwashed into thinking that playing a horror game in the dark was a great idea.

And the cherry on top, playing  _against_  the only person in the trio who actually knew how to play.

Kokichi didn’t make anything easy. He would constantly sing a song to distract his boyfriends and sneak up behind their characters and attack them from behind. He definitely knew how to play the role of a creepy hunter well, shaking up Shuichi’s and Kaito’s resolve with ease.

“Shit, Fuck, no not again!” Kaito was the target this time, Kokichi’s character close behind his own.

“Now now, my sweet star prince! What do you think you’re doing over there, hmmm?” Kokichi’s voice was cheerful and childish, adding on to the creepy atmosphere. “Are you trying to start this wee little generator? How silly, how oh so adorablee!” 

“Get the  _fuck_  away from me, Kokichi!” Kaito cried out, panicked and shaking. “Stop it! Get away from me! Shuichi help, he’s on my ass!” 

“I-I can’t help,” Shuichi whimpered. “I’m still on a hook, and the other players aren’t coming for me…”

“Yeah, I think they figured you’re a lost cause, Shuichi!” Kokichi chirped, breaking character a little. “That and they probably know I’m focusing on you and Kaito! Nee-heehee, they already got three generators started, but that’s okay. I just like playing with the two best boyfriends a guy could ever ask for!”

“Like hell you do!” Kaito cried out, wheezing. “Why do you gotta pick on us?! We don’t even know how to play that well!”

“Well, it’s because I  _love_  you both oh so much!” Kokichi sang. “I want you both to join me in the eternal hell of the afterlife, with the Spider demon!”

“Ah, I died…” Shuichi whimpered quietly. He sadly watched his character being offered to the supposed “spider demon” Kokichi constantly referred to.

“That’s one down!” Kokichi purred. “Now time to find my precious little star boy. Oh staaar liiiight, where’d you go? You gave me quite the slip there, you did…”

“Kokichi get the fuck away from me,” Kaito wheezed. “Go after one of the other players already!”

“Nuh-uh, they’re so booooring!” Kokichi whined. “I want the loves of my life to join me in  _hell,_  and they are most definitely not loves of my life. In fact, once you’re dead, it’d be sooo easy to kill them, too…” Kokichi pouted. “They only got three generators because you two have been so difficult to catch– _Aha!_  Fouuund you, Kaito!”

“No! No no  _no no no!_ Shit, fuck–” Kaito slammed his foot on the ground, and nearly threw his controller along with it. “God damn it!”

“Nee-heehee, ooooh, I got yoooou!” Kokichi grinned widely, so wide as he placed Kaito on the hook. Kaito’s lower health meter immediately had him stabbed by the creature.

“This isn’t fair! We don’t know how to play!” Kaito protested.

“Oh, but isn’t playing how you learn?” Kokichi teased, though his creepy, childish tone faded as he continued. “Bah, now all that’s left are these boring extras. Ugh, they’re so  _boring_  in comparison…”

Shuichi sighed, shaking his head. “This is the last time we  _ever_  let Kokichi pick the game we’re playing…”

“Aw! That’s no fun!” Kokichi whined. “I love you both so much, and you guys are gonna ban me from picking the next games? Waaaaah! That’s so mean!”

“Yeah, well, serves you right!” Kaito huffed, tossing his controller on the desk he was sitting at. “… Jeez, you’re really mopping everyone else up. And there goes the last guy, on the hook…”

“I tooold you, they had no chance.” Kokichi giggled and grinned. “They should’ve tried harder to save you two! They were so close to finishing the last generator too, what a shame.”

Suddenly, the lights in the room turned on as Kokichi flicked the switch to the lamp beside him, snickering. “Hey, you guys wanna be on my team next round?”

“Next round?!” Kaito echoed, gritting his teeth. “You’d be lucky if we ever play  _any_  game with you ever again!”

“Waaaaah! Why are you being sooo mean to me!?” Kokichi cried, and much to their dismay, out came the waterworks. “I was just plaaaying the gaaaame! Waaaah!”

“All right all right…” Shuichi said with a sigh. “One round where we’re on the same team… And then we’re going to settle down, okay?”

“Hey! Who said I agreed to this?!”

Kokichi snickered, and whispered to Shuichi, though loud enough so Kaito could hear; “Kaito just doesn’t wanna play because he’s scaaared…”

“Hey, I’m not scared!” Like a moth to a flame, Kaito picked up his controller. “Fine! You want one round with us on the same team? We’ll play one round! But don’t expect me to get you off of a hook if you get caught!”

“Yeeeey!” Kokichi cheered. “Kaito loves me after all!”

The bantering made Shuichi roll his eyes, smiling before he accepted the invite to join another game with Kokichi and Kaito.

Hopefully, they’d be able to work together this time.


	13. A Once in a Life Time Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaito plans a vacation for him and the two loves of his life to see the Northern Lights in Alaska. Unfortunately, a certain gremlin just can’t seem to stay warm.
> 
> (Saioumota)

It was late into the night, stars glittering across the night sky and the wind dancing with the leaves in the trees. Nature wasn’t something the trio really appreciated normally, but there was something about the quiet of the night that amplified the serene beauty they were surrounded by. It was late at night, perfect for the main event of their little vacation to Alaska.

The Northern Lights.

Kaito had saved up for the occasion for months, he had planned everything down to the last detail. Shuichi himself was surprised by how thorough Kaito had been with the planning, and while the Northern Lights were definitely not the  _only_  reason why they had gone to Alaska for their vacation, it was definitely the star of the show Kaito had planned.

However, for all of Kaito’s planning, he couldn’t have predicted Kokichi’s inability to stay warm.

It wasn’t that Kokichi hadn’t tried, granted. The poor boy, lips nearly turning blue and teeth chattering, was dressed in several layers of clothes, at least two layers of said clothes being spares Kaito had brought with them. He was just so small and thin, and the cold sunk into his body so quickly.

Kaito looked over Kokichi, frowning at the sight. There was no denying it. Kokichi was shivering violently, and nothing was keeping him warm in the face of the chilly wind and snow. He tried to lie, brightly smiling despite his clear suffering, but Shuichi nor Kaito were having any of it.

Shuichi was sitting next to Kokichi, arms wrapped around him in an attempt to bring him the warmth he so desperately needed, but failing to do so.

“Maybe we should go back to the cabin,” Shuichi suggested. “We can always try again tomorrow night.”

“Nooooo!” Kokichi whined, even through the chatter of his teeth, he would protest. “We gotta see! I wanna see the Northern Lights!”

“Dude, it’s not worth getting  _hypothermia_  over,” Kaito grumbled. As disappointed as he was by the turn of events, he couldn’t stand to see Kokichi suffering. “We’re going back and getting you in front of a heater or a fire.”

“No!” Kokichi insisted, shaking his head violently. “I’m fiiine! Jeez, it’s just a little cold, it’s no big deal.”

“Kokichi, your lips are blue.”

“Sooo what, Kaito?” Kokichi pouted. “I’ll be fiiiine…”

“Okay, nope, that’s it,” Kaito grunted, standing up and picking Kokichi up into his arms. “We’re going back.”

“Nooo!” Kokichi whined, flailing to the best of his ability, but the cold clearly draining him of his energy. “I’m  _fine,_  I wanna see the lights!”

“A-ah…” Shuichi stod up as well, tailing after Kaito and Kokichi with a soft frown. “Kokichi, your health is more important to us than this. Please, don’t–”

“Put me down!” Kokichi interrupted, struggling more. He managed to make Kaito grunt, but not much else. “The lights are gonna start soon! We can’t just leave now!”

With Kokichi’s struggling, Shuichi had to open the car door for Kaito, and winced when Kaito rougly shoved Kokichi in the back seat. “Shut up, we’re leaving and that’s  _final.”_

“I’m not a little kid, you know!” Kokichi hissed. “I don’t need you two to baby me just ‘cause I’m cold!”

“Shuichi, get in the car.” Kaito sounded tired, but most of all, Shuichi could hear the disappointment in his tone. “I’ll drive.”

Shuichi sighed, shaking his head softly as he did as he was told. He could hear Kokichi continuing to protest, but it went ignored.

“Kokichi, really, it’s okay,” Shuichi tried to settle him down, turning back from the passenger’s seat to face him. “We’ll try again tomorrow night, with better supplies for it. It’s really not that big of a deal…”

“But it  _is_  a big deal!” Kokichi cried out, growling. “Kaito’s been planning this for  _months_  and we already missed the lights  _last_  time!” Shuichi didn’t miss the way Kokichi’s eyes shimmered, glassy with guilt and disappointment. “We’re  _never_  gonna see them if we keep quitting just ‘cause I’m a little too cold!”

Kokichi’s words seemed to reach Kaito, who wasn’t so much as looking at Kokichi and instead at the path ahead of them. Hands on the wheel and ignition started, he was just about ready to ignore Kokichi and start driving.

However, instead, Kaito turned on the car’s heating unit.

“I’m giving it ten minutes,” Kaito started. “Ten minutes and if you’re still freezing your ass off back there, we’re leaving.”

“Okay!” The immediate cheer in Kokichi’s voice was startling, but it didn’t take Shuichi long to realize it was forced. “Oh! But you and Shuichi have to come back here and cuddle me. And play some nice music! We gotta have a nice atmosphere for the big show!”

Shuichi only sighed at Kokichi’s demand, searching through his phone for a decent song. Meanwhile, Kaito had climbed his way into the back seat, and wrapped his arms around Kokichi, who immediately snuggled his face into Kaito’s chest and curled up against him. Very clearly, Kokichi was trying to leech off of Kaito’s body heat.

After Shuichi picked a song to play on repeat–a soft, soothing piano song that he remembered Kaede playing at one of her shows–he joined his boyfriends in the back seat. He sat himself on the other side of Kokichi, and wrapped his arms around him.

It was shocking how much colder Kokichi had been, and he didn’t miss the way Kokichi was shivering in his embrace. Soon though, the heat from the car and the cuddling brought color and warmth back to Kokichi’s skin.

Before long, a hint of green light caught Shuichi’s eye, and he glanced out the window of the car. The sky had started to light up with a colorful array of light, and from how strong it was already, Shuichi suspected that it had started at least a few minutes prior.

“Oooohhhh! Kaito! Kaito look, look!” Kokichi was second to notice, eyes widened and lips curled into a giant grin. “It’s happening! Looook!” 

And look he did.

While Shuichi had seen videos taken of the Northern Lights before, it was an entirely different experience to witness them for himself. all three of them had fallen silent for at least five minutes, letting the soft sounds of the piano soothe the air as the lights danced across the night sky.

The quiet was suddenly interrupted, however, when Kokichi gasped.

“Guys, we gotta take pictures!” He cried out. “Come on, come on! We gotta get pictures of us with the lights!”

As he made his attempt to squirm out of Kaito’s embrace, Kaito tightened his hold. “Oh no you don't–we just got you warm again!”

“Kaiiiiitooooo!” Kokichi whined, tears immediately forming in his eyes as he gave Kaito soft whimpers. “We gotta take a picture! At least one! We gotta save it and make the memory eternal!”

“Dude,  _no,_  you’ll freeze.”

“Pleaaaaaaaase?” Shuichi couldn’t help but to give a sympathetic whine when he saw Kokichi pull out the big puppy eyes. “It’s just for one picture! I swear, I’ll be fine for one picture!”

Kaito tried oh-so hard to resist the puppy eyes. He even tried to closed his own eyes, but Kokichi only started whimpering in response. Finally, with a groan, Kaito relented; “Ugh…  _fine,_  just  _one_  picture.”

“Yeeeeeey!” Before Kaito could even think to change his mind, Kokichi had squirmed over Shuichi and was out the door before anyone could stop him.

“Shuiiichiii! We gotta use your camera!” Kokichi demanded as Shuichi slipped out from the car. “Your camera is waaaay better than Kaito’s crappy ancient phone, and mine’s dead.”

“Hey! My phone isn’t ancient!” With Kaito following behind him, he couldn’t see the annoyance on Kaito’s face, but he could certainly  _hear_  it. “It’s  _practical.”_

“Yeah, and absolutely, 100%  _lame.”_

“You two,  _please,”_  Shuichi cut in before their bickering could escalate, and he got his phone prepared for the photo. “I want to take this picture and get Kokichi back in the car.”

“Hey! I’m not even cold yet!”

With his complaint ignored, Kokichi and Kaito stood on either side of Shuichi, looking into the camera he held out, and smiled before Shuichi took the picture.

The photo itself wasn’t the best, and the Northern Lights were only just barely able to be seen in the background, but with how happy all three of them looked, it was hard to argue that they needed another one.


	14. Everything Is Going to Be Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara contemplates his life thus far while in bed with his boyfriends.
> 
> (Saioumota)

If you had asked Shuichi Saihara five years prior where he thought his life would be, he would have never said it was where he was then.

He wouldn’t have said he would be in a large bed, in between two very wonderful and loving boyfriends that adored him just as much, if not more, than he could have ever possibly imagined. 

Even less, he wouldn’t have guessed that he met either of them during a Killing Game.

It had been five years since the 53rd killing game came to a close. It had been five years since they all awoke from that horrible virtual reality. It had been five years of intense physical and psychological therapy. It had been five whole years of uneasy tension, feelings, friendship, and soon after that, romance.

Shuichi turned his head to the left, and saw dark purple strands that almost looked blue. They were messy and tangled in his fingers, resting on skin that was paler than his own. He saw a face that was normally sporting a grin and playful mischief, now settled down and relaxed. 

Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader, was curled up and resting his head on his shoulder, softly snoring. Shuichi thought of when those eyes were opened, wide and staring into every fiber of his being. Intuitive, calculating, and quizzical. Eyes filled with curiosity and wonder, a mind always one step ahead of the game. Kokichi looked so oddly peaceful as he slept. 

When Shuichi looked to his right, he saw plum hair resting on the white fabric of his pillow, droopy and still damp from a shower. Unlike Kokichi, Kaito’s skin had a fair bit more color to it, especially more so than before. Tan, almost brown, stained from many hours in the sunlight. Yet his skin was soft, especially his lips, and Shuichi had to bite down the temptation to steal a kiss from his sleeping form.

Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Astronaut. Normally, Kaito’s face featured exaggerated expressions, ranging from wide grins to annoyed furrowed brows, and eyes that burned with an intense fire that warmed Shuichi’s face every time he stared into them. Kaito didn’t snore, but instead clung to practically anything he could while asleep, and for that night, it was Shuichi’s waist that he held captive.

Above him, on the ceiling, were some plastic, glow-in-the-dark stars that Kaito had placed there. Shuichi remembered that day well–it had been the day after a rather hard night for Kokichi, who was having night terrors nonstop about being crushed under the hydraulic press. Kaito had set out the next morning and brought home a whole box full of plastic planets and stars. He said that he used to have them decorated all over his room as a kid. He said that they might help with the nightmares.

While the stars themselves didn’t do much but glow, they did help break Kokichi out of any panic he felt upon waking from a night terror. Being fixated on a never moving ceiling helped break the illusion that he was back on that horrid metal slab. Soon, the nightmares stopped, but they never bothered to remove the stars on the ceiling.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much comfort Kokichi or Shuichi could give Kaito when his nightmare troubles were at their worst. Every cold or cough sprung anxiety and panic, to which Shuichi and Kokichi would comfort away. Kaito still didn’t handle illnesses well, but he was slowly and surely coming to terms with the reality they now all lived in.

The reality that they were alive. Healthy, alive, and loved by one another. Even when that reality seemed to go grim, they had each other, and that was more than enough to persevere through any trial that life had thrown their way.

Everything was going to be fine. Everything was going to be okay.

As Shuichi drifted off to sleep, those words echoed in his mind.

_Everything will be okay. Everything will be fine._

_We are alive._

_We have survived._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of Saioumota week of 2018! I'm sorry this one was short, but I wanted to end the week on a hopeful note.


	15. Just a Hint of Mischief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaden gets a bit confident and mischievous. A side effect when you’re in love with a prankster.
> 
> (Jadochi)

It was no secret that he admired the natural world. From the smallest petal of a flower, to the largest tree in a forest, anything could catch Jaden’s eyes and inspire him to grab his drawing tablet  and begin to digitally paint whatever had caught his eye. 

Sometimes it was as simple as that, painting a photo-realistic imitation of the vision. Sometimes it would grow into a surreal scene with so much realism that one might question it wasn’t a photo of something remarkable. Jaden’s talent with the digital arts was so strong that people often questioned his talent to begin with.

So it wasn’t an unnatural sight to see him laying against a tree, doodling a field of flowers on his tablet with his boyfriend leaning against him.

Kurochi’s eyes had been closed, leaning his head against Jaden’s shoulder and breathing soft and steady. With how long they had been sitting like this, quiet and comfortable in the shade, Jaden wouldn’t have been surprised if Kurochi had completely fallen asleep on him.

He had been drawing for a while, actually. Jaden looked over his work, smiling at the painting before he saved the image to finish later. He thought to nudge Kurochi awake so they could get home and indoors before night fell, however…

… Seeing Kurochi’s sweet, sleeping face made his heart  _melt,_  and he just couldn’t bring himself to disturb him. Even if his shoulder was getting tired and sore.

Instead, he opened up a new canvas and started making a quick doodle of that sweet face, not asleep but smiling happily with a crown of flowers on his head, and petals dancing around him. It started as a quick sketch, but he started to get too focused on the new project, and suddenly it was well past sundown and the drawing was a full fledged painting. 

Just as Jaden was doing the final touches on the painting, Kurochi started to stir, eyes fluttering open with soft little whines escaping his throat.

“Huh…? What? It’s dark?” He seemed confused, rubbing away his bleary gaze before turning to Jaden with a soft pout on his lips. “Did I fall asleep?”

Jaden smiled and nodded.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” he grumbled. “We should’ve gone home hours ago.”

Jaden laughed and gave a small shrug before he started signing;  _You looked so sweet and peaceful. I couldn’t wake you up with that kind of face._

“Ugh, you’re  _hopeless.”_

Snickering again, Jaden signed;  _The only thing that’s hopeless about me how hopelessly in love I am with you._

This flustered Kurochi, a very nice shade of red dusting his cheeks, and the cute, embarrassed whine only made Jaden giggle more.

“H-hey! Why are you laughing? Jaaaay, no fair!” Kurochi squirmed around where he sat before burying his face in his hands.

Jaden only laughed more at how Kurochi was acting, and he leaned over to tap his shoulder to get his attention, offering his tablet. Kurochi only whined more.

“No! I’m _not_ looking, it’s gonna be another drawing of me, isn’t it?” he whined. “You’re just trying to tease me more, I can  _feel_  it!”

Jaden couldn’t stop a soft grin from forming on his face. That  _had_  been his original intention, but Kurochi saw right through it. Maybe it was time to change tactics.

He rested his tablet on the ground beside him before placing both of his hands on Kurochi’s, gently wrapping his fingers around them to encourage Kurochi to come out of hiding. He waited patiently, tracing his thumbs over the backs of Kurochi’s hands, before Kurochi finally relented.

Kurochi remained silent, but there was a soft pout on his lips, and his face was still stained with a dark blush. While it was a different brand of adorable, it was still  _adorable_  to see him so flustered, and it made Jaden’s heart do a little flip in his chest.

Whatever mischievous plans he might have had vanished in an instant, and Jaden moved his hands from Kurochi’s to cup his face. Tucking his fingers behind his ears and tracing a thumb over his cheeks, the little actions he did made the redness in Kurochi’s face darker and darker.

In the silent, in the air with no words spoken or heard, Jaden very slowly and carefully leaned forward, and when Kurochi did the same, he couldn’t help but to smile as he pressed his lips against the other’s.

The kiss was short, but it was so warm and gentle that Jaden almost felt breathless when he pulled away. Though, the separation didn’t last long, as Kurochi pulled Jaden in for another kiss.

Now it was Jaden’s turn to feel his face heat up, not expecting the second kiss but very much welcoming it. With his confidence dwindled, he hesitantly moved his hands down to Kurochi’s waist, and pulled him into an embrace.

He felt his cell phone in his pocket buzz, but he didn’t care. In this quiet, loving moment, he only had one thought, and it was to enjoy it with someone he found to be so wonderful and beautiful.


	16. The Love Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaden has been in love with Kurochi for a very long time now. With a love letter ready, Jaden finds himself unsure if he’s ready to give it and finally let Kurochi know the truth. Kokichi decides to give him a (very awkward) helping hand.
> 
> (Jadochi)

Jaden had been sitting on the couch in the living room, lips pursed together into a nervous frown and his face felt like it was on fire. As he held the piece of paper in his hands, he could feel his whole body trembling.

His own nervousness and anxiety made his face burn an even darker red and he swallowed a hard lump in his throat.

Jaden remembered shyly asking his elder brother for ideas, for advice. Surely a regretful decision, and he winced at how  _eager_  his brother very much was and how  _humiliated and embarrassed_  he had felt from the enthusiasm.

He almost went to his elder sister and mother for advice, but Glenn had unintentionally made it far too embarrassing and difficult to as any other family members for help.

Was it too much? Too little? He read the contents of the letter again. If nothing else, it was honest. He hoped that Kurochi would at least appreciate that aspect, if nothing else.

But, what if it was creepy, or weird? Jaden’s breath went shaky. The heat in his face was unbearable. 

As Jaden’s thoughts began to spiral even further and further, the sound of footsteps from down the hall startled him.

“Heeey Jaden!” A very familiar voice chirped, but from the tone, Jaden’s nerves relaxed a little. It was just Kokichi.

In retrospect, he should have been even more afraid.

“Rochi’s still eating in the kitchen, sooo you’re gonna be stuck with me for a while.” Kokichi’s grin was wide, and little hints of mischief glimmered in his eyes as he threw himself onto the couch next to Jaden. He quickly leaned over, grin widening, and whispered under his breath; “So is that the letter?”

Oh, he felt like he was going to die. His whole body stiffened and his fingers tightly gripped onto the paper before he quickly folded it up into thirds.

“Yeaaaaah, I thought so,” Kokichi said as he snickered. “Glenn’s been raving aaaaaall about it, he’s so excited and  _proud_  of you that you’re  _finally_  gonna fess up! Oh, oh, lemme read it!” He went to grab the paper from Jaden’s hands, but Jaden gasped and moved it out of the way just in time, shaking his head vigorously.

“Whaaaat? I’m just curious, you know! Glenn said it was really sweet and sappy! It’s for my brother after all, so I gotta read it!” Kokichi leaned forward, trying to grab the letter, but Jaden only leaned further away. “Gimme, gimme!”

Jaden only leaned further away and shook his head even more. As Kokichi leaned forward and tried to grab it, Jaden leaned away, and eventually, gravity pulled on Kokichi just a little too hard and he slipped, only just catching himself on Jaden. “Oof! Ow…” 

Oh, this was embarrassing. With how embarrassed he had been before about the letter’s contents, the fact that Kokichi was now  _laying_  on his made everything ten times worse. 

It took Kokichi a second to realize their position, and when he did, he only gave Jaden a wide, mischievous grin.  _“Oh ho ho,_  well,  _this_  is a predicament!”

A sharp shudder ran up Jaden’s spine as he grabbed the nearest pillow behind him, and shoved it into Kokichi’s face, hearing Kokichi give a muffled shout and laugh. At the very least, this prompted Kokichi to sit up, still grinning. “Gosh, Jaden, you can be  _soooo_  cold to me! Is this because all of your heart belongs to my brother? You got no love left for little old meee?”

This only earned him another  _smack_  with the pillow, and he laughed. “Okay, okay! I’m sorry, I was just kidding.”

Jaden only gave Kokichi a small, displeased frown. With his free hand, he signed;  _That wasn’t funny._

“Oof, jeez, you really  _are_ cold to me,” Kokichi said with a pout. “Haven’t you heard of playing? Messing around?”

Jaden’s brows furrowed, and his hand moved again;  _I’m not playing._

The expression on Kokichi’s face changed, ever so slightly from a childish, almost playful frown to a more genuine one. He was oddly silent before he turned away, and stared at the wall in front of them.

“… I’m sorry,” he muttered quietly, with a voice that sounded far more fragile. “I guess you’re not into playing like that anymore.” He crossed his arms behind his head, and leaned back against the couch. “Or, maybe I’m just too used to messing with Shuichi and Kaito. And my brother, too. They think it’s just silly.”

After a moment of tension, Jaden finally looked to Kokichi and sighed. Any annoyance he held was replaced with a small pang of guilt in his stomach. His hand movements were softer and slower.  _No, you’re fine. I’m sorry._  Jaden’s gaze fell.  _I guess I’m a little on edge._

“Well, yeah, that’s why I was  _trying_  to play with you.” Kokichi pouted, closed his eyes and puffed out his cheeks. “You’re so nervous about this when you know he likes you. You  _do_  know that, right?”

Jaden didn’t respond, even when Kokichi opened his eyes too look over to him. Jaden’s gaze only fell away.

“… Do you doubt that?” Kokichi tilted his head. “Even though he’s like, been dropping you every hint in the book that he likes you? Even if me and Glenn have been saying it for like, months?”

Jaden only hung his head, looking at the letter in his hands. A light tremor returned to his fingers.

“….  _Jeez,_  you and Rochi are both so  _hopeless,”_  Kokichi scoffed. “No matter how many times everyone tells you both that you like each other, you never believe it. Though, I guess you’re  _way_  worse about it, though. At least Rochi actually  _believes_  me a little!”

The implications made Jaden stiffen, sharply bringing his gaze to look at Kokichi’s. His hand moved in much quicker, anxious motions as he signed;  _Wait. Did you tell him that I like him?_

“Huuuuuh?” Kokichi puffed out a cheek again. “Well,  _yeah._  I mean, I told him that you liked him before you told Glenn, ‘cause you are just  _not_  subtle with your goo-goo eyes.” Kokichi turned away again. “Besides,  _he_  asked  _me_  if you liked him back, and I told him what I thought.”

Jaden couldn’t help but to bristle a little.  _That was not your place to tell him._

“Hey! It’s not like you told me a secret and I betrayed you,” Kokichi huffed. “I already said it, this was  _way_  before you even told anyone about your feelings. What was I  _supposed_  to do, say ‘Oh gee, that’s not really my place to say Rochi! Jaden doesn’t want his secret-that’s-not-really-a-secret getting out, even though I’d have no way of knowing that it  _was_  a secret to begin with because Jaden never said anything about it!’ Honestly? Seriously?”

This shamed Jaden a little, and he ducked his head a little. _… Is it really that obvious?_

 _“Yeah!_  And it’s  _been_  that obvious since forever!” Kokichi crossed his arms and legs. “Man, you’re really mean sometimes, you know that? I get that you’re scared, but this is really frustrating. Do you know how long Rochi’s been waiting for you to say something? How many times he got upset because he thought you were going to finally tell him but you never did?”

Jaden winced, but said nothing as he hung his head again, and Kokichi’s irritation vanished as quickly as it came.

“… I shouldn’t have said that,” Kokichi muttered.

 _No, you have every right to be angry at me._ Jaden signed _. I’m being really unfair to you. I’m sorry._

“… Then let’s just, call it even. Pretend this entire conversation neeeeever happened.”

Kokichi had immediately fallen silent afterwards, seemingly to do just as he suggested, but Jaden couldn’t do that. He couldn’t pretend that he didn’t hear what he heard.

After a minute, Jaden signed again;  _Does he really like me? Has he really been waiting for me to say something?_

Kokichi glanced over to him for a moment, before he looked away and shrugged. “Maybe give him that love letter and you’ll find out for yourself. You wouldn’t believe me if I said anything one way or the other anyway.”

Jaden joined Kokichi in leaning back on the couch, frowning. He had a point; if Kokichi had said Kurochi  _did_  like him, he wouldn’t believe it. If he said he didn’t, he would think Kokichi was toying with him.

The hand that held the love letter tightened its grip. There really was only one way to find out.

Suddenly, Jaden stood up, legs moving on their own and carrying him towards the kitchen. 

“Huh? Hey, where are you–?”

Jaden drowned out Kokichi’s confused voice with racing thoughts of his own, thoughts that were making his stomach bubble and ache from anxiety.

Before he could really process what exactly he was doing, he stormed into the kitchen, and his face felt like it was on fire.

Kurochi had been washing his plate when he heard Jaden from behind him, and he turned around. “Huh? Jaden?” Concern laced his tone. “Hey, what’s wrong? You look really upset–”

Before Kurochi could say anything else, Jaden grabbed his wrist, and forced the love letter into Kurochi’s hand, despite his shaking.

“H-huh? What’s this?” Kurochi’s blinked as Jaden released his arm, looking up to him with his brows furrowed with concern. “What–”

Jaden didn’t let him finish. Instead, he quickly turned around, and sprinted out of the kitchen. 

“H-hey, Jaden! Wait!”

“Huh?” The commotion caught Kokichi’s attention, and he peeked his head down the hall. “Everything okay over the–”

Before Kokcihi could process it, Jaden had ran past him, nearly knocking him over, as he sprinted out the front door.

He could hear them calling out to him, but he only continued to sprint. He didn’t go far, just around to the side of the house and covering his face.

A part of him wanted to turn back, to snatch the love letter right out of Kurochi’s hands and rip it to pieces before he could even think to read it, but he remained where he was. 

He wasn’t about to make Kurochi wait for another second.


	17. Returning to Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Kurochi and his family start some cleaning in order to move into their new home, he comes across his father’s old lounge chair. 
> 
> (Jadochi)

Stepping foot into that old house sent chills up his spine.

Even with  _that man_  dead and gone, even with the ominous circumstances behind his sudden demise, Kurochi could hardly believe it, and it had uncertainty coiling in his stomach. Where there was immense fear and anxiety there was now riches and a permanent home now in his possession, and the fact he inherited it all didn’t quell any of the bubbling he felt in his throat. 

Kokichi had decided that they should sell the house, and with the money, buy a slightly smaller estate with enough rooms for their whole family and then some. Kokichi, Ranji, Glenn and some movers were put in charge of moving furniture from the old house to the other. Kurochi, Jaden, and the rest of D.I.C.E. were in charge of cleaning, getting everything out of the house to keep, sell, or throw away.

As he made his way further inside, Kurochi’s nose wrinkled with disgust. He could still smell hints of the Serge Lutens’ Borneo cologne his father used to wear all over the house.

Not that the cologne itself smelled horrible. In fact, had it not been for the extreme negative association, he might have found the smell pleasant.

It was such a shame the scent was ruined completely by his father.

Kurochi already wanted to run away and run outside, but he only swallowed the urge down and stepped forward. 

“Hey, Kurochi…” Alana spoke in french, her voice cool and quiet, as she twirled a lock of her long brown hair around her index finger. “… You know, you don’t look so good.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Kurochi replied in her native language without a second thought. “Just… tell the others to clear out the master bedroom. Me and Jaden will go through the house and see what we can keep and what we should get rid of.”

Alana tilted her head. “So, you don’t want anything from the master bedroom?”

Kurochi took a deep breath in through his nose. The smell was already clouding his mind. “No. Nothing in there is–it’s all bad. Just get rid of everything.”

A soft, concerned frown made its way upon her face before she nodded, turning towards the other and saying in English; “Puzzles says master bedroom is bad. All of it goes.”

They all nodded, and made their way to the master bedroom, though not without casting quick, worried glances over at Kurochi.

He couldn’t stand it, the way he was acting and the way he made everyone worry over nothing. Even when he looked up at Jaden, he could see the concern plastered on his face.

“… I’m fine,” he muttered, stepping past him and heading into the kitchen. “Come on. We’ve got to go through everything and figure out what we’re keeping and what we’re not keeping.”

Jaden gave a short, curt nod and followed him Kurochi into the kitchen, where they started to quietly rummage through the cabinets and judging the cooking utensils, silverware, plates and other assorted cookware. Most of it had gone unused and was covered in dust.

There were some Victorian-styled plates, decorated with delicate patterns and intricate designs. They reminded him of his mother, and he remembered that she loved them. His smile lessened when he started to remember how she would ask the twins not to let their father know she was using them during their lunch time while he was at work, and how it was their little secret.

At the time, he didn’t understand why she would ask them, but she always had such a frightened smile when he tried to ask her why. She told him it was simply because their father didn’t like the plates much.

“We’re keeping these,” Kurochi called out to Jaden, who was on the other side of the kitchen. “These plates, and all the stuff with pretty patterns on them. They were my mom’s.”

Jaden glanced over to Kurochi, blinking and nodding once before he grabbed a plate from a different cabinet. It was far more modern and simple, with a singular black stripe on the rim. He showed the plate to Kurochi.

“Huh…?” It took Kurochi a moment to realize what Jaden was trying to say. “Oh, no, not those. Those were… his.” 

Jaden nodded again, and started stacking the plates according to their style, seemingly to separate which were being kept and which were being sold or given away. Soon, they went to retrieve boxes and sharpies to pack and label the boxes.

“Hey, I’m going to check the storage room for more of mom’s stuff,” Kurochi announced. “Our father immediately put all of her stuff in there when she died. It’s just down the hall.”

Jaden turned to Kurochi, frowning slightly, before he signed;  _Okay. Call me if you need me. I’ll just finish packing and labeling the kitchen stuff._

Kurochi smiled at him before he left the kitchen and made his way down the hall. Before he got to the storage room, however, his eyes fell onto a lounge chair tucked away in the corner of the living room that was just beyond the hallway.

Kurochi felt a strangled breath escape through his throat, and he felt his heart start to pound in his chest as his eyes fixated on the chair. It looked so harmless, sitting there in the corner with a lamp next to it and a book case nearby. One might even call it a cozy little set up with how the chair was right next to a window.

Yet looks were deceiving. Kurochi knew that chair. He knew it all too well. It was a demon’s chair. A chair that he spent many nights of Hell on, with the ghost of his father’s disgusting, sultry voice ringing in his ears.

He couldn’t breathe. Kurochi could taste bile in the back of his throat. He took a step back down the hall, his whole body shaking, and he suddenly found his own arms tightly wrapping around him.

Kurochi could hear his voice, right in his ear. He could smell that disgusting cologne like it was right in front of him. It was suffocating him. In the back of his mind, he registered the sharp pain he felt from how hard his fingers had started digging into the skin of his arms, but the thought was washed out quickly by  _his_  scent and  _his_  voice and  _his_ chair.

He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t  _breathe._

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and he yelped, violently tugging himself away from the offending hand and falling over. Immediately, he curled in on himself and squeezed his eyes shut. “No…! No,  _please_ no…!”

He could hear frantic movements, someone falling to their knees in front of him, and felt another hand touch his arm. The touch only made him sob and flinch away, and he curled in on himself even further. “No, no…! D-don’t, please  _don’t…_ d-don’t…!”

As he sobbed and hiccuped, no other hand dared to touch him. In fact, it was oddly quiet, for several minutes.

The silence terrified him further, but Kurochi managed to force open his eyes. In his blurry vision, he saw Jaden kneeling just in front of him, hands uselessly held in the air as if he wanted to touch Kurochi but was afraid to. 

“J… Jaden…?” For some reason, he was surprised, even though deep down he knew he shouldn’t be. He shouldn’t be at all surprised to see Jaden frantic and worried, hovering over him with tears of his own streaming down his panicked face. Kurochi could see Jaden signing, but Jaden was too frantic and his vision was too blurry for him to understand.

A heavy wheeze escaped from him before Kurochi forced himself to sit up, only just enough to throw himself into Jaden’s arms, still hugging himself but in desperate need of being embraced by someone who would keep him safe. Jaden didn’t disappoint, and immediately wrapped his arms around Kurochi and held him close.

With his face buried in Jaden’s chest, he started wailing and loudly sobbing into his sweater. He heard other voices, of women and men, in various languages asking what had happened or what was wrong, but he couldn’t respond. He felt Jaden move one of his hands, probably trying to answer though no one knowing sign language as well as he, his brother, or Glenn knew.

Soon the voices hushed and it was just him and Jaden. Jaden, who smelled like roses and the earth, who had no voice to whisper abuse into his ears. Just a silent warmth and a love that never, ever needed words.

Soon enough, Kokichi had came rushing in, apparently called back by someone in their family. He couldnt remember what Kokichi said, he could barely process anything other than the sound of his voice. Without taking his face out of Jaden’s chest, Kurochi weakly pointed towards the chair, shaking and sobbing.

“Huh? What? What are you pointing at?” Kurochi could finally make out some of Kokichi’s words. “Rochi, what happened? What’s wrong?”

Weakly,  _pathetically,_  Kurochi responded; “Ch-chair…”

“Chair? The lounge chair?” Of course his brother would be confused. Even if he knew what their father had done to him now, he had no idea what that chair really meant.

Though, he figured it didn’t take his brother long at all to realize what was wrong, for the next thing he heard him growl was; “Bring that damn thing outside and set it on fire.  _Now.”_

Maybe Glenn was happy to oblige, or maybe he wasn’t. Either way, he heard the sound of people moving, lifting, and leaving through the back sliding door in the living room. All the while, Jaden kept his arms tight around him, rubbing his back to help soothe him.

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that. Time swirled and mixed together, making it feel both like an eternity and like no time at all. Eventually his sobs went quiet, but he refused to move his face from Jaden’s chest.

Eventually, he heard foot steps again, and his brother’s low voice. “It’s gone. The chair, it’s gone now.”

Only then did Kurochi lift his head, whimpering and shaking and eyes burning with irritation. Briefly, he saw pure rage in his brother’s eyes, but it soon quelled into hurt and worry.

“Dad’s gonna take you two back to the new house. I’ll take care of the rest of this mess here, okay?”

Kurochi weakly nodded, and Jaden followed suit. Gently, Jaden encouraged Kurochi to stand up, but Kurochi felt like his legs were too shaky for him to stand on his own without falling over.

“Jaden, you better take care of him while I’m here, you got it?” Kokichi sounded stern, almost threatening, but he knew it was just the hurt and anguishing worry leaking through, and he got the feeling that the kind of face is brother was making would tell Jaden that as well.

Either way, Jadens expression hardened as he nodded, and Kurochi didn’t think for a second that he wouldn’t keep his promise.


	18. Fur and Scales

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some fantastic kisses for some fantasy boys.
> 
> (Jadochi Fantasy AU)

The water was cool and crisp in the light of the moon, the surface only being disturbed by the subtle and idle motions of fins and the remnants of fur.

Kurochi hadn’t know much about the world above the sea, but he had heard tales of man and wolves fusing to become a strange hybrid of a creature. There were all sorts of rumors, from merfolk and humans alike, telling the tale of the origins of these strange creatures they dubbed “werewolves.”

Some stories said the creatures were vicious under a full moon. Some depicted werewolves to be monstrous creatures with sharp fangs and claws. Others said that werewolves were merely humans by day, and wolves by night.

As Kurochi quickly learned, however, it wasn’t wise to trust old, misguided rumors.

The boy that he sat next to was Jaden. A soft, gentle soul with dark skin and even darker, curly hair. When he was just a mere child, a dog had lunged at him and sunk its teeth into his throat. He survived, but not without the cost of his voice. A forever silent child of the sun and earth, made mute by a ferocious dog.

If only the story ended there.

As it turned out, the creature that bit Jaden was not a dog. It was a bitter old man, lashing out his misfortune on the first helpless victim he could find. Not even two days prior had he been bitten and infected with the virus that morphed his body into that of a wolf.

The old man was a second generation werewolf, bitten by the one that the werewolves call “the origin.” That made Jaden a third generation of the virus, bitten by a second generation rather than “the origin.”

Where as second generation virus carriers were more wolf like, Jaden was more human in his transformations. His bone structure stayed the same, but his teeth grew sharper and his eyes glowed a bright yellow in the light of the full moon. His hair, as lovely and lush as it was, would sprout in patches all over his body, his hormones warped from the virus. His nails would grow into claws upon transformations, but were still only just a little less brittle than normal human nails. In this form, Jaden had heightened senses, and was so very easily overstimulated by all of them. Even while Kurochi rinsed his fur with the water of the lake, he could see his nose wrinkle with displeasure.

With a soft, patient smile, Kurochi whispered; “Hey. Something wrong?”

Jaden turned his head slightly to face him, but quickly shook his head.

“Aw, don’t lie to me.” Kurochi giggled. “It’s me again, isn’t it? The fishy smell?”

Not that Kurochi took much offense. Even when Jaden shook his head again, Kurochi snickered and flicked his tail up and out of the water, only to splash the surface, giving him a smirk that told him that he knew he wasn’t being honest.

 _You don’t smell bad…_  Jaden signed.  _It’s just. Strong. Stronger on full moons._

“Oh, I know, I know,” Kurochi purred, running his hands through the fur on Jaden’s back. “It’s okay, really. I’m not offended.”

Jaden paused, though with a soft smile, signed;  _Well, the mud isn’t helping much either._

“I bet not! Your family will  _kill_  me if I bring you home with gunk in your fur.”

 _Now, who’s the one lying?_  Jaden returned Kurochi’s smirk with one of his own.  _I thought you just wanted to go swimming._

Kurochi gasp an exaggerated gasp. “Nonsense! I am only here to clean you up before your mom finds out you tripped in the mud.”

_Oh yeah? Then why take off your pendant?_

“Becaaaause! Sitting in water is so unnatural in that form, you know?” Kurochi pouted. “I can’t believe you think I’d use your for ulterior motives.”

Jaden chuckled, shaking his head before he finally turned around to face him. His eyes were glowing such a fierce, bright yellow, that Kurochi felt like he would melt under their warm gaze.

Whatever playful remark Jaden had running in his mind seemed to have vanished upon looking into Kurochi’s eyes in turn. His playful smile turned sincere and warm, and Kurochi could see that Jaden’s eyes had fallen onto his lips.

Cautiously, Jaden signed;  _Can I kiss you?_

And Kurochi nodded, silent as if his voice was stolen by a spell. 

Jaden moved his hand up to Kurochi’s cheek, careful not to graze his skin, scales or fins with his sharpened claws. He gently pulled Kurochi in for a soft kiss.

Kurochi immediately melted into it, leaning closer and even pressing his torso against Jaden’s. He was mindful of his own attributes, keeping his sharp scales away from Jaden’s fur and skin. Yet he wanted to be closer, so  _much_  closer. As close as they were in bed, both in their human forms and laying in a comfortable silence as their dreams took them apart. Soon, they could have that luxury, once the full moon had passed and Jaden’s fur had fallen off in preparation for the next cycle.

That promise of closeness didn’t at all satisfy the ache he felt then and there, and Kurochi whined as he pulled away.

“I love you,” Kurochi whispered, and Jaden smiled in return. Kurochi didn’t need Jaden to tell him anything–that smile told him plenty, with it being so full of warmth and love.

Addicted to that love, Kurochi wrapped his arms around Jaden’s neck, and pulled him back in for another kiss. It was far more needy and deep than the first, and with how Jaden slipped his hand down to his waist, he could tell that Jaden was craving the exact same thing he longed for himself.


	19. Quiet Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, you just need a quiet moment.
> 
> (Oumota)

When people thought of Kokichi Ouma and Kaito Momota, the last thing one would think of was “soft,” or “gentle,” or “sweet.” Especially when the two of them were together, causing a ruckus and making a mess.

Kokichi had a lot of energy to spend and Kaito had a lot of stamina to give. The combination often ended with the latter chasing down the former for some nonsensical prank, despite the chase being exactly what Kokichi was after to begin with.

However, when all of that energy was spent, things would grow quiet and comfortable. One thing led to another, and cuddling together turned into vulnerable chatter that was both a relief and uncomfortable for them both all at once. It was inevitable that they’d share their first kiss, and that they would admit that they loved every little moment they spent with one another.

Every chase, every game, every moment they spent settled down and in each other’s arms. Those moments were precious.

That day was no different. After some prank Kokichi pulled and after Kaito had given chase, they found themselves lying in the grass, under the starry sky above them. There wasn’t anything to talk about, so the quiet settled in comfortably between them. 

Kokichi often found himself snuggled up to Kaito’s chest with the other’s arms wrapped around him, relishing in the warmth Kaito’s body gave him. Kaito was tracing his hand over Kokichi’s back, silently looking up at the stars, and Kokichi wondered what he was thinking. What could Kaito, the Ultimate Astronaut, have going on in that pretty little head of his? 

Kokichi found it harder and harder to be sure every day.

“Hey, Kokichi?” 

Kaito’s voice stirred Kokichi from his thoughts, and Kokichi noticed Kaito had stopped tracing his hand along his back. He looked up at him. “Hmm?”

“There you are. You looked like you were about to fall asleep.” Kaito smiled. “And I don’t feel like carrying you home, so.”

“Huuuh? Wow, rude,” Kokichi grumbled. “You foiled my plans agaaaain! Jeez, I’m gonna have to step up my game now…”

“Yeeah, yeah.” The dismissal made Kokichi puff out his cheeks, and to that, Kaito snickered. “Like hell you’re gonna fool  _me_  ever again. Not even with that cute puffy face of yours.”

“Meaaan!” Kokichi cried out. “Kaito’s sooooo mean! Even though he was putting me to sleep with his hand on my back! Now he’s gonna make me waaalk hooooome and I’m soooo sleepyyyy!”

“Oh, quit your whining.” There was no bark or bite to the demand, just a sharp tongue developed to play along with Kokichi’s antics. Though, something seemed to catch him off-guard, and he tilted his head. “… Do you like it when I touch you like that?”

“Huh?” Kokichi pressed his lips together into a pout. “Well, duuuuuh! I said it was putting me to sleep, right? That and the fact you’re like, a walking, talking heater. I was set up for failure honestly.” 

“Really?” Kaito seemed surprised, though after a moment, he shrugged, and started tracing his hand on Kokichi’s back again.

“Heeeey, you’re so meeean!” Kokichi protested, though he only buried his face into Kaito’s chest. “You’re really gonna put me to sleep if you keep this up, uuuugh…”

“Yeah, well… maybe I’ll carry you home.” Kokichi felt Kaito kiss his forehead. “… Just this once.”

“Mmm… My plan worked like a charm…” Kokichi muttered, giving Kaito a soft nuzzle. “Now I get more back rubs  _and_  Kaito’s gonna carry me home… flawless victory.”

Kokichi, even in his sleepy daze, could just imagine Kaito rolling his eyes. “Sure it did.”

This brought a soft smile to Kokichi’s lips and he settled into Kaito’s arms as he allowed his mind to drift off once again.

He had no doubt that he would wake up, safe and sound, and back at home.


	20. Planetariums Aren't For Pranksters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaito finds a mini planetarium machine hiding in the closet, and Kokichi claims it’s absolutely, totally his. Which is strange, since Kokichi never liked Space beforehand.
> 
> (Oumota)

“Are you  _jeaaalous?”_

When Kaito found the unopened planetarium in the closet, he hadn’t expected Kokichi to claim ownership of it. In fact, he didn’t think Kokichi even cared much for space as much as he did, always calling Kaito some form of “space nerd” any time Kaito started talking about constellations or planets.

He had to admit, though–for someone who didn’t like space, Kokichi certainly had good tastes in planetariums. Kaito himself had been eyeing up this particular brand for months, wanting his own for their apartment. The prices were on the higher end, nothing he could ever really afford with his current job and wage, but he had a dream, damn it, and if he wanted one of these planetariums, he was going to  _get_  it. It would just… take a while.

Never had he ever suspected, however, that Kokichi Ouma would be so interested in space that he’d buy something so  _expensive._  Especially when he had told Kaito when he had shown him a few that they were “a waste of time and money” and urged him not to get one.

So it was utterly suspicious that Kokichi had one all to himself.

“Well, you can’t have it,” Kokichi continued, reaching up to snatch the planetarium out of Kaito’s hands, crying out a loud “mine!” upon his attempt.

However, Kaito was both taller and stronger than his boyfriend, so he simply raised the machine above his head, to where Kokichi couldn’t get it.

“Heeey! No faaair!” Kokichi pouted, desperately trying to reach but being just too small to. “Kaaaiiiito! Give it baaaack, it’s mine!”

“Like hell it is,” Kaito huffed. “You don’t even  _like_  space. What are you  _really_  doing with this?”

“Hmph! Kaito’s  _sooo_  mean!” Kokichi gave up on reaching for the box, pouting and puffing out his cheeks. “You know, maybe living with a space nerd changed my mind. I am a Gemini after all! We’re fickle creatures, right?” He made a desperate grab at the planetarium again. “Gimme!”

“No, because you’re  _lying,”_  Kaito stated, with no bark or bite. To him, it was just a matter of fact. “If you  _weren’t,_  then it wouldn’t have been buried under a bunch of shit. What are you planning to do with this?”

Kaito couldn’t help but to think of a dozen reasons Kokichi might have hidden it away. For some elaborate prank, because he stole it, whatever. The fact that Kokichi hid it at all told him plenty–it had to be for something devious or mischief. Why else would he keep it a secret?

And yet, when Kaito stared into Kokichi’s eyes, he saw something. A hint of frustration, a redness dusting his cheeks. 

“Give it  _back,_  Kaito.” Kokichi’s tone turned oddly serious and he even sounded  _hurt_  to some degree. His brows furrowed, and he started gritting his teeth. “It’s mine, so give it back!”

“Dude, why are you mad?” Kaito’s own brows furrowed with concern. “I just want to know what you’re gonna use this for, jeez. If you tell me, I’ll give it back. I’m not about to let you waste your money on such a pricey thing just for some prank.”

“It’s  _not_  for some prank,” Kokichi growled, jumping up and trying to grab the planetarium once again. This caught Kaito off-guard, and he nearly lost his balance. “Just–just give it back already! Why do you care so much about what I’m going to use it for anyway?!”

Kaito’s eyes widened as Kokichi shouted, looking more and more visibly upset by the minute. “Whoa, dude, chill out. What’s the big deal anyway? It’s just a planetarium–”

“No it’s not!” Kokichi interrupted. “Give it  _back!”_

Kokichi made one finally lunge for the planetarium, jumping as he did, and his weight was more than enough to set Kaito completely off balance. They both gave a yelp as they fell to the floor, and the planetarium slipped out of Kaito’s hands.

There was a loud series of clunking noises that came from the box, and Kokichi gasped as his eyes locked on to it.

“No!” He cried out, immediately scrambling to the box before Kaito could even think to groan from the tumble, and picking it up. “No, no,  _no, no!”_

Kokichi started furiously tearing the box open, pulling out the planetarium to inspect it. From what Kaito could tell, it mostly looked fine, with maybe a dent or two from the fall.

And then, Kokichi tried to turn it on. Nothing happened.

With a soft whine, Kokichi flicked the switch for the planetarium multiple times, growing more visibly upset the longer he sat there. Kaito grunted as he sat up, rubbing his head.

“… Is it broken?” Guilt hit him hard, seeing the machine not working as Kokichi fussed with it. “Ah, shit. I’m sorry, Kokichi…”

The apology made Kokichi hang his head, and his bangs covered his eyes. Kokichi remained quiet for a while, before he started gritting his teeth. “You…  _you…!”_

Kokichi sharply looked up at him, face red and eyes glossy, and Kaito couldn’t help but to recoil from such a harsh expression. “You  _asshole!_  Do you know how much this stupid thing cost me?! I saved up money for  _months_ just to get it! And I only got it on time because it went on  _sale!”_

“… On time?” Kokichi’s hurt and angry expression only made the words more confusing. Kaito shook his head. “Dude, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean…” Kaito’s voice trailed off as his eyes fell. “Look, I’ll replace it, okay? I’ll–”

“No!” Kokichi hissed, squeezing his eyes tight. “I don’t  _want_  you to pay for it! I don’t want you to replace it!”

“Why  _not?”_  Kaito felt his own anger rising at Kokichi being difficult, but if there was anything he learned how to do while being he other’s boyfriend, it was to bite down his emotions when he felt like things were getting too heated… and with how Kokichi was acting, things were  _definitely_  too heated. “It’s broken, right? And that’s my bad, so I’ll replace it. Why are you–”

It hit him like a ton of bricks when he realized it. Why Kokichi was so upset, why he kept the planetarium a secret and hid it away, why he even called them a waste of money despite buying one  _himself…_

“… That was for _me,_ wasn’t it?”

The silence answered that question plenty.

Now, Kaito really  _did_  feel like an asshole. March was about to hit its end, with his own birthday coming up in just a couple of weeks. He had been so caught up with his new job and bills that he hadn’t even remembered  _his own birthday._

With the way tears gathered in Kokichi’s eyes, however, it seemed like his boyfriend hadn’t forgotten it at all.

“… Shit.” 

How was he supposed to fix this? As he tried to think of ways to make it up to Kokichi, he heard a low growl.

“I sp-spent so long saving up for this stupid, useless thing–” Bitter, angry words hit Kaito’s ears, but all he could hear was heartbreak. “And now–now everything’s ruined! Now, it’s not even a  _functional_  piece of junk! Why’d you have to go through my shit, anyway?!”

“I was just… cleaning–”

“I don’t  _care!”_  Kokichi shouted, his fists balled and shaking as he rose to his feet. “You shouldn’t have been near my side of the closet, anyway! You should have just left it alone!”

“Kokichi–”

Before Kaito could even get another word out, Kokichi sharply turned around, ran down the hall, and slammed the door to their bedroom behind him.

Kaito was left sitting on the floor, guilt piling high in his chest, and he ran a hand through his hair. A low groan escaped through his lips as his hand slid down to cover his face.

He felt awful. He closed his eyes, but the image of Kokichi’s hurt expression that flashed through his mind only deepened the guilt.

“God damn it.”

With a heavy sigh, Kaito looked up to look at the abandoned planetarium, and mindlessly scooted over to it.

“… You caused more trouble than you’re worth,” he muttered to it, quietly, before examining it. “I don’t get it. These things are supposed to be able to handle kids. Why would a fall break it so  _easily?”_

As he muttered to himself, he flipped the machine over, and a hint of silver caught his eye.

Kaito blinked once, twice, before he snorted and started laughing. “Oh my  _god,_  are you kidding me right now?” 

Kaito stood up, shaking his head before he went to scavenge their kitchen for a screwdriver.

—

Kokichi had completely buried himself under the blankets right after he slammed the door shut behind him. His head, arms, legs, everything was encased in a veil of darkness. Not that the bedroom wasn’t pitch black to begin with, but being hidden under the blankets made him feel somewhat safer. 

Somewhat.

As he curled in on himself, a weak little sob broke through his lips. Gritting his teeth, he snarled as he started wiping away the tears.

A part of him felt guilty for getting so visibly upset and angry over an accident. An accident that he himself caused, he might add. If he hadn’t been so desperate to get the planetarium away from Kaito and back into hiding, it would probably still be working just fine.

He laid there, alone, for several minutes, trying to fight the tears but being unable to. As he failed each time, he severely scolded himself under his breath.

Before long, however he heard the door open, and his whole body tensed. “Kokichi…?”

“Go  _away, Kaito,”_  Kokichi hissed immediately. “I don’t wanna talk to you.”

“Okay, I get that, but–”

“No  _buts!_  Go away, I don’t wanna see your stupid face right now!” With a loud growl, Kokichi tightened the blankets around him. “Just…! Just go  _away!”_

“Kokichi, it’s not broken.” Kaito gave a heavy sigh. “The planetarium, it’s not broken.”

“What are you  _talking_  about?” Kokichi spat, throwing the blankets off of him to sit up and glare at Kaito. “You saw it, it wouldn’t turn on–”

Before Kokichi could finish spitting his venom, however, Kaito flicked the switch on the planetarium, and it immediately flickered to life.

Stars, planets, all sorts of colors immediately started dancing on the walls, the starts sparkling and the hues swirling around in perfect symphony. 

“What?” Kokichi stared at the projections in awe before his eyes fell on the planetarium in Kaito’s hands. “But, it–it wouldn’t–”

“It needed  _batteries,_  you dumbass.” The insult carried no bite to it as Kaito walked over towards the bed, set down the planetarium onto the floor, and threw himself next to Kokichi. “These things don’t  _come_  with batteries, you know. That’s why it wouldn’t turn on before.”

“… Oh.” Kokichi’s shoulders slumped. “Well that–that’s  _dumb.”_

“Uh huh.” Kaito patted the bed behind Kokichi, not even looking at him. “Lay down with me a while.”

Kokichi stared at Kaito with narrowed eyes for a moment, before his brows furrowed and he scoffed. “I’m still mad at you, you know.” And yet, even as he said that, he did as he was told, letting Kaito wrap his arm around him as he snuggled up to his side. “You still ruined the surprise.”

“I know,” Kaito muttered, giving Kokichi a light squeeze. “I’m sorry. But hey, at least it still works, right?”

“Mmm, I don’t know if that makes it any better…”

“I’m sorry, really.” Kaito finally turned over, just enough to plant a kiss on the top of Kokichi’s head. “I mean. I still  _love_  it, you know. It’s great.”

“It would have been  _better_  if you got it when you were supposed to,” Kokichi mumbled, puffing out his cheeks. “Now I won’t get to see your big, happy, dumb grin when you open your present and saw what it was. Now I have to buy you  _another_  present, and nothing will be as good!”

This made Kaito laugh. “Is  _that_  what you’re mad about? Well, I can try to make it up to you…”

Before Kokichi could even figure out what Kaito meant by that, Kaito had completely rolled over to face him. In one swift motion, Kaito nestled his face into the crook of Kokichi’s neck and pressed his lips against his skin.

 _“Eeek!”_  Kokichi screeched, squirming. “Kaito! S-stop that, it tickles!”

“Mmm, sorry,” Kaito whispered softly, his warm breath bouncing off his skin and making Kokichi shudder. Kaito gave another firm kiss to Kokichi’s neck, a little bit lower than before. “I just want to show you how much I love you for this. Even if it’s not my birthday yet. I love it–and I love  _you.”_

Kokichi choked down a soft moan and shuddered again when Kaito kissed his neck again, a blush quickly finding itself on his face. “Ack, you’re the  _wooooorst!”_

Kokichi’s protest only earned him a kiss to his cheek. “The worst for loving you?”  

“No! I mean, yes?” Kokichi huffed out a soft whine. “Okay, okay, fine! I forgive you, now stop smothering me in sap, I might  _die!”_

“Hm? Die, huh? Well, we’ve got a problem then,” Kaito grinned before he stole a kiss from Kokichi’s lips. “Because all I can think about is kissing you, I love you so much.”

“Gah! Stoooop, it buuurns!” And yet there was a hint of a smile on Kokichi’s face, and a hint of a giggle managed to escape from his throat. “I saved up for soooo long to buy you that thing and now I’m gonna  _suffer_  and  _die.”_

“Death by kisses, huh?” Yet again, Kaito moved to give Kokichi another kiss to his neck, and then another, smirking all the while. “I mean, that’s certainly a way to go. I better get all my kisses in before it’s too late.”

“K-Kaiiitooooo…! I’m never buying you anything ever agaiiiin!”  

“Well, that’s fine,” Kaito hovered over Kokichi for a moment before pressing their lips together again. “All I need is  _you,_  anyway.”

This seem to fluster Kokichi enough into silence, him whining while Kaito could only snicker and steal a few more kisses. In between each one, Kokichi muttered out soft admissions of love and received them in turn.

Each whisper left Kaito wanting more, and he soon found himself genuinely addicted to kissing Kokichi all over. After each and every kiss, he would whisper his love again and again, just to make sure Kokichi knew it well enough.


	21. Terrible Twos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Himiko and Kokichi find themselves babysitting two mischievous toddlers.
> 
> (Oumeno) (Hints of Irumatsu)

How did he rope her into this?

Oh, why was she asking that question. Of course Himiko knew how Kokichi Ouma tricked her into helping him baby sit Miu and Kaede’s children.

He lied. What else would he ever do to trick her?

Kokichi had called her and told her that there was a “party” at Miu’s house and she was invited to perform magic for the guests. Himiko should have known better. There was no party and there were no guests–just two toddlers and a sweating Kokichi.

Himiko couldn’t exactly blame him, however. Once she got into the house, she realized why Kokichi looked so worn out and visibly anxious, even if he tried to hide it behind a smile.

The house was a wreck.

Even just entering the living room, Himiko saw how messy it had been. There were toys, food, crayons, and torn bits of paper all over the floor and couch. The kitchen didn’t fair much either, with splattered messes of drinks and food all over the counters and table. 

The culprits themselves were two little girls, giggling as they smeared red lipstick on the hardwood floor in the hallway and on each other. From what Himiko could tell, they were playing and trying to look like their mothers.

“Ack! No! Yuko, Reina!” Kokichi snapped upon seeing the girls making yet another mess. He immediately ran over to them and snatched the lipstick from them. “Don’t play with your mom’s makeup! Where did you two even  _get_  this?!”

The two girls only giggled and laughed at him as they stood up, and then ran in opposite directions of each other. It was no wonder why Kokichi was having such a hard time–the two girls were literally conspiring against him.

“Nyeh, looks like you’re finally getting what you deserve after all those years of pranking…” Himiko snickered. “I didn’t think you’d be taken out by little girls, though.”

“Oh, shut  _up,”_  Kokichi hissed as he ran off to catch one of the two toddlers. “It’s not like  _you_  can handle these brats by yourself!”

“For shame, Kokichi!” Though she tried to sound scolding, she was clearly grinning. “They’re not  _brats,_  they’re  _precious little angels_  and gifts to the human race.”

“And they’re  _brats.”_  Kokichi scoffed, finally catching Yuko and picking her up, scowling at her laughter. “Your mommies might  _think_  you’re precious little angels, but they don’t know the true devilish nature you have! Evil little fiends!”

Yuko only giggled and laughed before slapping her hand on Kokichi’s nose.

“Ack! No hitting!” Kokichi held Yuko as far away from his face as he possibly could. “Didn’t either one of your mothers teach you any manners?”

Himiko couldn’t stop snickering. “Well, considering one of them is Miu, maybe she taught them to  _like_  hitting…”

“Ugh, you’d think Kaede wouldn’t approve of that…” Kokichi grumbled, as he began wandering the house in search of the other little girl. Soon, Yuko started struggling against his grip, and he looked like he barely had the strength to keep a hold on her.

“Why not put them in their cribs?” Himiko suggested as she tailed him. “At least until you can clean up the mess.”

“I  _tried_  that!” Kokichi cried out. “They know how to climb out! You gotta help me.” Kokichi looked to Himiko with one of the most pathetic, tired looking expression she had ever seen him have. “If I don’t get this house clean, Kaede and Miu are going to  _murder_  me, but I can’t clean  _and_  keep an eye on them! They make messes faster than I can clean!”

“And how to you expect me to keep an eye on them?” Himiko pouted. “You’re already tired out from them, and you never normally get tired!”

“You can do  _magic,_  right?” Kokichi grunted more as Yuko struggled harder against his grip. “Kids like magic shows, right? That’s right in your element! Just, just distract them with magic tricks until I clean everything!”

Himiko huffed. “It’s not  _magic tricks,_  it’s  _real magic!”_

“Mawgic?” Yuko repeated, before she started excitedly squirming more. “Maaaaawgic! Mawgiiiic!”

“Ack! Yuko, stop that!” Kokichi whined, struggling to keep a grip on her. “See? They love your magic tricks, please just–just distract them!”

“And why should I help  _you?”_  Himiko crossed her arms. “I could walk right out that door, you know.”

“Himiiikoooo…!” Kokichi whimpered. “Please don’t leave me, I’m going to  _die_  if you leave me alone with them!”

“Hmm… fine, on one condition, thought!” Himiko pointed a finger at Kokichi. “Say that my magic is real magic, and I’ll stay and–”

“Your magic is real.”

Himiko blinked with surprised when Kokichi interrupted her, immediately giving in to her demand before she could even finish speaking. “Uh… Wait, really?”

“My god,  _yes,”_ Kokichi growled. “You’re a real witch, your magic is real, you’re a real mage–what, what else do I have to say? Do you want me to get down on my knees and  _beg?_ Please, Himiko…”

Himiko took a good, long look at Kokichi as her playful cheer diminished. There was no playful, mysterious aura around him, no sense of mischief or trickery. Just a frustrated, tired, even  _shaking_  boy who really was in way over his head.

“Wow, that bad, huh?” Himiko muttered, only to get a scowl from Kokichi. Before he could open his mouth to spit venom out at her, however, she continued; “Well, if it’s  _that_  bad, then I don’t think I could leave you like this, even if I had to…”

Himiko moved over to Kokichi, and gently took Yuko into her arms. “Nyeh, Yuko, if you’re a good girl, I can show you and Reina some magic.”

“Mawgic?!” Yuko cried out, clapping her hands. “Mawgic! Yes please!”

This brought a smile to Himiko’s face. “Yeah, real magic, too. Where’s your sister? Let’s go find her and I’ll show you my magic.”

“Heehee!” Yuko clapper her hands, grinning widely. “Reena’s in mommy’s moosic room!”

“Music room…?” Kokichi mumbled for a moment before his eyes widened with realization. “The room with the piano! I’ll get Reina, you take Yuko to their room and keep them in there while I clean the house.”

Himiko gave Kokichi a reassuring smile and nodded. When Kokichi ran off to the music room, she turned her attention back to Yuko. “Hey Yuko, where’s your room? Rooms are the best places for magic. Can you show me?”

Yuko squealed with delight, and Himiko took that as a solid ‘yes.’ She rested the little girl down, and allowed her to lead the way to her and her sister’s bedroom.

It didn’t take long for Kokichi to show up with Reina squirming in his arms, looking even more exhausted and sweaty than before. “Sh-she's the fast one, ugh…”

Himiko tried to resist giggling, feeling a bit bad for Kokichi as he settled Reina down next to Yuko. “Now, you two be good for Himiko, and Himiko’s gonna show you  _loooots_  of magic, yeah?”

“Mahgic?” Reina gasped and turned to Himiko. “Is you a fairy?”

“No, I’m a mage,” Himiko corrected. “Fairies are way smaller.”

“Mayge?” Yuko waddled over to Himiko and grabbed her leggings. “What’s a mayge?”

“Yeah! What’s a mayge?” Reina didn’t take long to be at Himiko’s other side, imitating her sister. “Tell us! Do the mahgics! Do the mahgics!”

Once the girls were all over Himiko, Kokichi wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve and released a sigh of relief. “Welp… I leave them to you. I’ll come get you when I’m done.”

Himiko looked to Kokichi and gave him a small nod before he walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

She didn’t know how long she was performing for the two little girls, but it certainly felt like hours before the girls started looking dazed and tired. Figuring Kokichi was still cleaning up the messes they made, Himiko got the girls dressed and ready for bed. 

Once they were asleep, Himiko left the room and left the door open just a crack. With a soft sigh, she could feel her own exhaustion seeping in just from her time with the two girls. She could barely imagine what kind of horrors Kokichi had to face all by himself before he got so desperate as to call her over.

Speaking of Kokichi… where was he?

Himiko started to check the rooms of the house, noticing that all the lights were on but it was quiet as could be. Kokichi wasn’t anywhere to be found, not in the kitchen, not in the music room, not in the master bedroom or even the bathrooms–

And then, she finally found him laying on the couch, face buried into the cushion and his fingers loosely curled around some sort of child-safe cleaner. 

As Himiko looked around, she noticed that only a few toys on the coffee table were left out, where as everything else was completely spotless.

“Hhhhh…” She heard Kokichi groan, barely turning his head to look at her. “… I wasn’t sleepin’… I was just–”

“You don’t have to lie to me, you know.” Himiko smiled as she walked over to him. “The house looks nice.”

“Nn… Thanks…”

“You look terrible.” Himiko nudged his shoulder. “Nyeh, let me sit.”

“Sure…” Without fight or protest, Kokichi groaned as he forced himself to sit up, allowing Himiko to sit down next to him.

… Only for him to then lay back down with his had on her lap.

“H-hey!” Himiko cried out, cheeks already burning up. “W-who said I’d be your pillow?”

“Nnn… Shhh…” Kokichi waved his hand, gently swatting at her mouth. “Tired…”

“You’re hopeless…” Himiko caught his hand, and forced him to rest it on his chest. “You’re lucky I came to rescue you… But I don’t have any MP left to revive you, so you’re on your own for that one.”

“Mmm… Sure, sure…” His eyes closed and he gave a heavy sigh. “Thanks for not leaving me. You’re my hero. I could kiss you.”

“Eh?!” Even though Kokichi was clearly way too tired to catch his own words, it still made Himiko’s blush darken. “You’ve gotta be  _really_  tired if you’re saying stuff like that… Jeez. How are you going to even get home tonight?”

“Nooo idea… Maybe y’could… float me home with your magic…”

The chatter faded into silence as Kokichi slowly started to become more and more incoherent by the minute. Himiko hushed him a few times before resting a hand on his head, running her fingers through his hair. The motion seemed to relax him, and he easily started drifting in and out of consciousness.

“Mmm… Y’know, Himi… You’d be a great mom…” Kokichi muttered. “Y’managed t’keep them happy and distracted…”

“Shush already,” Himiko said, blushing but almost giggling. “Or I’m gonna have way too much fodder to tease you tomorrow. You won’t be able to counter my spells at all.”

“Mmm… I don’t care…”

Himiko finally relented and giggled at Kokichi, petting his head more. “Nyeh, you  _will,_  though. So go to sleep before you say even  _more_  embarrassing stuff.”

Kokichi couldn’t even manage to mutter out anything other than incoherent mumbling, maybe something about how he wasn’t tired or he  _wouldn’t_  regret anything ever. Himiko only shushed him and petted his head until he finally fell asleep.

As she looked at his sleeping face, she smiled. It was the most relaxed he looked all day.


	22. There Are No Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heroes and villains, no matter how different they are, meet death one way or another. Or maybe, they weren’t so different to begin with.
> 
> (Oumota Weekend Day #1)
> 
> (Oumota)

As Kaito dragged Kokichi’s weakened, fragile body across the floor, as his blood smeared red across the cold floor, as he hoisted Kokichi up the stairs, Kaito came to that conclusion. In the situation where they lived or died, laughed or cried, that fact would always remain the same.

Each and every step, each and every drop of blood that splattered onto the floor as Kokichi balanced himself at the controls to the hydraulic press.

There were no heroes. There were no villains.

There were only children preparing themselves to die.

As Kokichi stood, his entire body was shaking. He was just barely able to stand with that arrow to the middle of his spine. In all honesty, Kaito was surprised that Kokichi could stand at all through the pain he surely felt. Yet whenever he saw the determined, hardened expression Kokichi wore, that surprise melted into grief.

There was no turning back from their plot now.

“Okay, I… I got it,” Kokichi murmured under his breath, snarling from the pain that twisted in his eyes. “I… I got it. You get under the press, and we can get this started.”

Kaito was hesitant to leave Kokichi there, but that hesitance was brief. They had a plan to stick to. There was no time for him to be idling around.

As Kaito walked down the stairs, he shrugged his jacket off of his shoulders. Reaching the press, he rested the jacket on its surface, frowning at the galaxy print he oh so adored. He clenched his fists, feeling his hands shaking.

He was never going to get to space.

He felt his eyes water at the thought, but he choked them back and climbed onto the metal slab, laying himself on his back.

“How’s it look?” Kaito called out to Kokichi, trying to glance up at him. It was difficult with the angle. “Can you see me?”

Kokichi groaned, and though he looked over to Kaito to check, Kaito could tell that his eyes were unfocused. “… Yeah, looks good. Now, shut up until the press stops.”

Kaito pressed his lips together into a thin line, but he nodded once and closed his eyes. He felt his heart jump into his throat when he hear the press jump to life.

He heard it move, slow and steady, and it took every ounce of willpower Kaito had not to cry out in fear or react. Even when his mind started racing, even when he was afraid that Kokichi might just drop dead where he stood and wouldn’t stop the press, Kaito remained still.

Lower and lower, louder and louder, and just when Kaito thought his fears were being realized, he heard the machine come to a screeching halt.

“… Okay, it’s good.” He heard Kokichi call out to him. “It’s ready to… to…”

Kokichi’s voice trailed off and soon, Kaito heard a loud  _thud_  echo throughout the hanger.

Alarmed, Kaito’s eyes shot open and he tried to look up at the control panel, but the top half of the press was blocking most of his view. However, he was just barely able to see Kokichi collapsed on the floor.

“Kokichi!”

Kaito sprang into action, though careful not to move the jacket and ruin their trick, and rushed back up the stairs and right to Kokichi’s side. He was barely breathing, and his eyes were squeezed shut.

“Kokichi, Kokichi!” Kaito called out, gathering him up into his arms. “No, shit, dude, you can’t die yet–”

Kaito was interrupted by the sound of a soft sob. The boy in his arms was crying,  _wheezing,_  and pathetically clinging on to the fabric of his jacket just above his chest.

“… Kokichi?” Kaito was at a loss, unsure of what to do. If he should even do anything. “Hey, Kokichi–”

“Shut— _shut up,”_  Kokichi snarled, gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut tighter. “I’m—I’m fine, I just… fell over, and it hurts—Gh…!” Kokichi started coughing, hacking up blood into his hand. An all too familiar sight that Kaito empathized with. “Just… just help me back up, and…”

Kokichi opened his eyes, and immediately, they fell onto the hydraulic press. “… Help me to… to the… the…”

Kaito wasn’t sure how, but Kokichi’s face somehow managed to drain of even more color than the poison had already leeched out from him, and Kokichi started trembling. Eyes wide, fixated on the press, and lips parted ever so slightly. As if he wanted to speak, but being too petrified to do so.

A protective instinct stirred in Kaito’s chest, and his mind started reeling. Was there really no hope for Kokichi? Was there really going to be yet another meaningless death—even if Kokichi was sacrificing his own life in an attempt to stop the Killing Game dead in its tracks. Was Kokichi’s life a useless sacrifice, in that regard?

The answer Kaito found within his chest brought tears to his eyes.

“… Where is the other electrobomb?”

Kokichi stared up at him, bewildered by his request. “Huh?”

“The other electrobomb. Maki stole one, and you used one before, right?” Kaito’s brows furrowed. “You had three. You used one before, so where is the other one?”

Kokichi blinked, and with a grunt, shifted until he found the final electrobomb on his person. “H… here. Why?”

“Let me see it.”

Wordlessly, Kokichi handed over the final electrobomb, only giving Kaito a confused frown as he did so. Kaito quickly took it from Kokichi’s weak, trembling hand, and with his teeth, pulled on the handle.

Kokichi gasped as a bright light blinded them both for a moment, but it quickly faded away.

“What—what the hell?” Kokichi snarled. “Why did you waste it? What the hell are you even thinking?!”

Kaito felt a bubble of anger pop in his chest from Kokichi’s tone, but he swallowed it back down. “I didn’t waste it. It’s not like you had any better plans for it, anyway.”

“What…?” Kokichi’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Kaito, his gaze sharp and seething. “What are you… what are you planning?”

“There’s no way I can kill you,” Kaito admitted. Kokichi’s eyes widened at his words, but before he could reply, Kaito continued; “The electrobombs… if they work, then no one will know the difference if you die on that press or to the poison if you die while one’s set off, right? And…” Kaito’s eyes fell onto the press. “… No one deserves to die like that.”

“Oh, so you want me to suffer?” Kokichi spat. “Hate me th-that much, that you want me to be in pain until I die? You’re _sick.”_

“That’s not it at all! Jeez, what’s with you?” Kaito moved a hand to rub the back of his head. “I just… don’t think you should die alone, okay? Dying alone, being crushed to death on a cold, metal slab… That’s just too cruel even for an asshole like you. If you’re worried about your plan, don’t. I’m not gonna let Maki-Roll get executed, so I’ll still go through with it all. Besides…” Kaito fished out a small bottle from his pocket. “Who said you were gonna be in pain the whole time?”

“What… What is  _that?”_

“Pain killers,” Kaito said as he popped the cap off of the bottle. He poured out some of the pills, and forced them into Kokichi’s hand. “You think I was just walking around coughing my lungs out without any medicine? I snagged a bunch of these from the warehouse. Wait here, I’ll be right back with some water.”

“W-what—wait…!”

Kokichi’s plea went ignored, and Kaito stood up to make his way towards the bathroom. Kaito snatched up the discarded antidote bottle, and filled it up with water at the sink.

A few moments later, he was right back at Kokichi’s side. “Here. I got you some water.”

“Gee, thanks,” Kokichi scoffed. “And what if… I don’t w-wanna take the pain killers?”

“Well, that’s on you.” Using one arm, Kaito propped Kokichi up and held the bottle of water in the other. “But something tells me that even  _you_  aren’t that stubborn.”

Kokichi didn’t take the medicine, not immediately. Instead, he stared up at Kaito, eyes searching his features for an answer he would never find. With a tight frown, his eyes fell onto the medicine in his hand.

“… Maybe I should just down the whole bottle,” Kokichi muttered with a chuckle. Yet he didn’t sound all that amused or happy. “Make it end faster.”

Kaito huffed, maybe it was supposed to be a laugh, or maybe not. Bitter, cold feelings started stirring in his chest from Kokichi’s words. “I’d let you if I had another bottle on me. I need the rest to get through… well. You know.”

Kokichi snickered, tears gathering again in the corners of his eyes before he shoved the pain killers into his mouth. Kaito then held the bottle of water to his lips, and let him drink it until he was satisfied.

Kokichi had ended up downing the whole bottle before he started coughing, shivering, and wheezing. “I sure hope it works. I don’t w-want to be in pain for much longer. Ehe… I don’t think… I could really stand it.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

Silence fell between them, dark and heavy as Kaito listened to Kokichi’s breathing become more and more harsh. How much longer would it take for the poison to kill him? How much longer was Kokichi going to suffer?

Kaito couldn’t even look at him anymore. Not without guilt bubbling in his stomach, and threatening to  explode at any moment.

Soon, Kokichi’s breathing slowed to a stop. Kaito gritted his teeth, glancing up to see if it was finally over, only to see Kokichi jump back to life with a loud gasp.

Apparently, the world wasn’t done with making him suffer.

Kokichi’s hand immediately grabbed at Kaito’s shirt, clinging to him but his eyes elsewhere, unfocused and filled with terror. “I—I don’t—” Kokichi hiccuped, sobbed, with tears streaming down the sides of his face.  _“I don’t want to die,_  I don’t want—”

His soft, broken words made Kaito pull him in closer, squeezing his eyes shut as Kokichi buried his face into his chest and started wailing. Much like a child, afraid and devastated by the grief that his life was on the verge of coming to an end. It drew out some of Kaito’s own fear and grief, and he quietly sobbed along with him.

There were no heroes in that hanger. There were no villains. There were only two children on the brink of death, crying and grieving over the future they had stolen from them.


	23. A Colorless World Awaits You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was just a little too late.
> 
> (Oumota weekend day #2)
> 
> (Oumota)

For as long as he could remember, Kaito Momota had seen the world in brilliant colors.

In a world where your vision was filled with nothing but shades of grey until you kissed your soulmate, Kaito was an oddball out of the rest. From as young as five years old, he could distinguish colors and shades with ease, much to every doctor’s amazement. For a while, his grandparents thought that Kaito had playfully kissed another child that sparked the color shift, but it soon became clear that Kaito was never meant to be with anyone as a ‘soulmate.’

It was a rare occurrence, but sometimes when people were without a soulmate, romantic, familial, or platonic, they would randomly be gifted with a vision full of color.

Kaito wasn’t ever sure how he felt about that.

His gift was more like a curse, always the subject of teasing and harassment when his ability to see color was discovered. Many students would call him “the unloved one” and endlessly tease him. Kaito was quick to laugh it off, but the teasing stung deep in his chest.

That was why, when he decided he wanted to be an astronaut, he poured his heart and soul into it. It was hard to tease someone who would respond with utterances that his work was far more important than soulmates, and eventually, he was teased for his love of space over his lack of a soul mate.

Things got easier to deal with over time, and soon, not having a soulmate wasn’t even a thought on his mind. The teasing stopped completely once he proved himself with his talent and skills, and he quickly became admired by those who used to look down upon him.

The next time he would think about his lack of a soulmate would be when he entered the killing game.

It had been around lunch time when he caught Kokichi Ouma in the Dining Hall by himself, doodling with crayons on some pieces of paper as he shoveled food into his mouth. When Kaito happened to glance over Kokichi’s shoulder, he noticed that he was drawing little doodles of himself and his classmates. The shocking part was, however, he was coloring everyone with the right colors rather than mismatching them, as one might expect from someone who couldn’t see different hues.

As he stared in awe at his realization, Kokichi noticed him gawking at his drawing, and after a moment, gave Kaito a huge grin.

“You can see them too, can’t you?”

Being called out like that made Kaito flinched and recoil away, much to Kokichi’s amusement.

“Aww! With that kind of reaction, I bet Kaito is just like me!” Kokichi chirped, tapping a purple crayon to his lips. “You don’t have a soulmate, do you? Saw colors for as long as you could remember, hmm?”

As Kokichi continued to laugh at him, Kaito felt his own cheeks heat up from embarrassment and anger. It had been too long since someone remarked on his lack of a soulmate, but just before his anger could take over him, Kokichi hummed.

“Weeell, I guess I’m no better! I don’t have one either!” Kokichi said that with a tone that was far too happy and cheerful, and he returned to his doodling. “Sooo, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Kaito left the Dining Hall without ever getting his lunch.

The next time he is reminded of his unfortunate luck is when he wakes up on the cold, hard floor of the bathroom in the Exisal Hanger. He woke up hungry, but he noticed a sloppily made sandwich waiting for him on a paper plate along side an empty glass.

“… I figured you’d want to get your own water,” he heard Kokichi say through the door. Apparently, he heard him shifting around as he woke up. “Can’t exactly get you food that you’d be happy with, though. So you’ll just have to trust me that it’s not poisoned or something.”

It took Kaito a while to trust Kokichi enough to eat the food provided, but he eventually grew too hungry to dismiss it. One meal later and no stomach pain proved that Kokichi was still somehow trustworthy. Even after everything he had done.

Things had grown quiet beyond the other side of the door. For an hour, nothing was said or done. Kaito didn’t hear Kokichi’s footsteps, but he didn’t know whether or not Kokichi had quietly left or if he was still there.

At least, until Kokichi started speaking again.

“You know, it’s kind of funny that it had to be you.” Kokichi started, his voice weakened and cold. “We’re not so different, you know.”

“We are the polar opposites of each other,” Kaito hissed. He would have ignored Kokichi’s remark if he hadn’t felt so entirely offended. “You’re a sick, twisted, lying sack of shit and the mastermind behind this killing game.”

“Hmm, I wonder about all that...” Kokichi only responded to Kaito’s bitter anger with a cold, sad tone. Something distant, and almost accepting. “… Say, you know I actually do have a soulmate?”

Kaito scoffed. “That’s the worst lie you’ve told yet.”

“It’s true, even if you don’t believe me.” Kokichi paused. “Except I know nothing about him.”

This piqued Kaito’s curiosity, and he raised a brow. “Now that just sounds like you’re not even trying.”

“I guess… that does sound weird, doesn’t it?” Kokichi laughed. It was soft, but void of his usual cheer. “I was really little when we met for the first time. We played all day at the park. He loved chasing me. It was really fun.”

Kaito kept quiet, not believing the lie for a second but finding that Kokichi’s tone sounded genuine enough. It wasn’t one he ever heard him use before.

“Then I had to go home. He was sooo upset over it. He said he didn’t have any friends and that I was the first kid that ever played with him like that. I… don’t know what I was thinking, but I decided to kiss him. I think I wanted to kiss him goodbye, under the yellow slide. Well, I didn’t know what ‘yellow’ looked like until I opened my eyes again.” Kokichi laughed. “I was like, four or something. I didn’t even know anything about soulmates or colors. So when I started seeing colors, I started crying. It’s pretty scary to have your vision change so suddenly when you don’t know what’s happening!”

As Kokichi recalled the so-called memory of his soulmate, the tension in Kaito’s shoulders started to melt away. He could almost forget his misgivings for Kokichi, hearing him talk about something that sounded so personal and genuine. Kaito didn’t want to believe it, considering it was _Kokichi_ talking and all, but… Something stirred in his chest, a sort of guilt for not believing the story. Something told him that it might just be true.

“I ran away before anything else. And… I never saw him again. Sad, isn’t it?” Kokichi laughed again. “My soulmate has nooo idea who I am, or where I am. Yet… Hey, if the world outside really is destroyed, then why am I still seeing the colors of the rainbow? I wonder… They say when your soulmate dies, the world goes back to being grey. If that’s true, then...”

Kokichi’s voice trailed off, and he didn’t continue his thought. Kaito wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear it.

“Why are you telling me this? What game are you playing?”

“Hmmm…? Why, why indeed.” Kokichi shifted, and his voice started to sound a little more distant. “Maybe I want someone to know. Before it’s too late.”

“If you think you’re gonna win sympathy points from me over some sob story about you and some other kid, you’ve got another thing coming,” Kaito spat. Even if things felt strange, he couldn’t forget or forgive Kokichi for the killing game. Not for all of those who died, and those who suffered because of his actions. “It wasn’t even a good story. You think anyone’s gonna believe crap like that?”

“Hmm… Well, maybe one day, you’ll believe me.” Kokichi chuckled. “One day.”

“Like hell I’ll ever believe you!”

Kaito’s words made Kokichi fall silent. Several minutes passed, before Kokichi finally whispered out a quiet “I’m sorry,” before Kaito heard his footsteps fade away into the hanger.

Not that Kaito could, or ever _would,_ forgive him.

A few days later, at the darkest hour, Kaito found himself standing in front of the hydraulic press, watching as Kokichi readied himself to become the victim to an insane plot he seemingly cooked up on the spot. Guilt curled in Kaito’s stomach, realizing that Kokichi wasn’t at all the mastermind, and he felt like an idiot for not seeing through his lies before.

It should have been obvious, if he had just thought about it.

A snicker brought Kaito back to reality, and he stared down at Kokichi, laying on top of his jacket with a smile.

“Jeez, Kaito, you look like you’re having second thoughts,” Kokichi chirped, but his voice was raw and harsh. “Gonna let your precious little Maki Roll be the blackened after all?”

“No, absolutely not!” Kaito didn’t like how defensive he sounded, nor did he like how his hands shook. He was about to end Kokichi’s life. No matter how many times he tried to process it, all it ever felt like was one big, horrid nightmare. “I won’t let Maki Roll die!”

“Then stop overthinking things, you dummy.” Kokichi was interrupted with a groan, and he started panting. “Now… you better hurry up and kill me, b-before _she_ does.”

“Okay, okay...” Kaito sighed, yet the exhale brought him no relief. “I’ll… let you know when I’m ready.”

“Actually, wait—” Kokichi leaned over, turning his head to face Kaito, grinning widely. “How about a kiss goodbye?”

“What?!” The request took Kaito off guard for a moment, but then he growled and shook his head. “Really? You gotta mess with me, even when you’re about to…?”

Kokichi’s grin lessened. Suddenly, his eyes looked glassy. “… Maybe it’s ‘cause I’m gonna die that I want it.”

Hearing Kokichi say it so bluntly, like he had accepted it long before his life was ever in danger, made Kaito’s chest twist with pain and guilt. “… Are you serious?”

“What… what would you do if I said I _was_ , spaceman?” Kokichi snickered. “It’s not like you have a soulmate to worry about… or anything. Maybe I just wanna… pretend for a second that...” His voice trailed off, and he shook his head. “Never mind. It’s just a lie, anyway.”

Something told Kaito that was a lie. Something told him that Kokichi was being genuine, like when he told the story about the little boy he kissed and never saw again. The pain and guilt ate at his chest, and before Kaito could even think to stop himself, he climbed back onto the press and crashed his lips against Kokichi’s.

The kiss lasted longer than he intended. The contact made his chest burst with so many complicated feelings—guilt, regret, affection, desire—all at once, the emotions swirled and made his heart pound against his rib cage.

After a few seconds, Kaito finally realized what he was doing, and pulled away. Kokichi was staring up at him, eyes widened and still glassy with a slight flush to his cheeks, but his expression otherwise unreadable.

“… Uh, sorry,” Kaito fumbled, a blush burning on his own face. “I thought—I thought you, uh.” Before he could make an even bigger fool of himself, Kaito quickly moved off of the press, and made his way towards the controls. “L-let me know when you’re… ready.”

Kaito quickly made his way up to the control panel, and stood in front of it. Kokichi hadn’t responded to the kiss, nor to Kaito’s words, and he didn’t for several minutes.

In that time, Kaito swore he heard a soft sniffle. He didn’t call Kokichi out on it, though.

“… Okay.” Finally, the moment Kaito dreaded, Kokichi had spoken again. “I’m… I’m ready.”

Kaito wasn’t sure if _he_ was ready. There were so many complicated thoughts and feelings, along with the strong desire to _not_ kill anyone and _not_ die himself. Yet before he could hesitate and fill his head with more regrets, Kaito squeezed his eyes shut, and pressed the camera’s RECORD function along side the hydraulic press’ activation button.

………

……

…

Soon, he heard the sound of the press slam closed, along with the disgusting sound of Kokichi’s body being reduced to blood, crushed bones, and other imagery that made Kaito want to gag. If he thought about it too hard, he knew that he heard the sound of Kokichi’s bones snapping, and—

Before Kaito could actually do so, he opened his eyes and pressed the camera’s STOP button. When he did, he immediately doubled over and gagged. Kokichi was dead, surely nothing but a mess of red all over the press and the floor around it, and it was all his fault.

Kaito wheezed and gagged again. He wanted to fall apart, wanted to throw up the terrible feelings he felt and be done with it all, but he had a plot to carry out. He had no time to waste.

Kaito drew in some deep breaths, trying not to look at the corpse crushed between the two metal slabs that he created, but a part of him just couldn’t _resist._ His eyes wandered over, to the blood stained slabs that once was Kokichi Ouma, and—

—Saw nothing but the color grey.


End file.
